HOT PURSUIT
Simply put storytelling is the bedrock of the newspaper industry. It’s what attracts readers to pick up our newspaper every week.
Journalists love to write stories and share them with readers. And, if I must say so myself, our readers are in for a special treat this week. We are providing no less than 17 well written stories in what has become widely known as our “Good News Holiday Edition.”
Some of the stories are not for the faint of heart. People have shared some real personal struggles they have faced and overcome. Some are grieving the loss of loved ones. Others have shared their true passions in life. And a few have helped us piece together the importance of family.
I’ll be honest I shed a few tears, well maybe more than a few, after reading some of the stories. They are impactful and have been told from the heart.
The purpose certainly isn’t to make anyone cry, but to showcase life in a way that provides inspiration, hope, peace, joy and love. We all need it, especially in a world that often seems bleak and hopeless. Despite the on-going negativity in society, there are wonderful things happening and people just trying to do the right thing for fellow human beings. Their stories need to be shared for the rest of us.
I am blessed to have some incredible writers who are gifted at telling stories. I hope you feel the same way.
What strikes me about each of the stories offered in this week’s Good News edition is the humanity. They involve real people, many of whom have struggled with real problems and overcame them. We all face difficulties, some worse than others.
We share these stories so that they might help others when they encounter similar situations. We all come upon situations requiring our humanity and empathy. We want to better prepare you for the times you may encounter struggles on your own or other family members or friends.
The stories we share may not be major headline grabbers that other news outlets will pick up. However, if you haven’t figured out by now, we never forget about the little stories. Personally, I always write my stories as if they are the biggest story to ever be told. I’ve heard other professionals in our industry say, “Treat every story as if it were the biggest story of your career.”
That’s certainly great advice and motivation for journalists like us to live by.
Whether the story is life-changing or a seemingly unimportant happening, the story is important to someone. And that makes it important to us. That’s why community journalism is relevant and always will be. It’s our gift to you.
While we’re done with the stories for this year’s Good News edition, we are always looking for story ideas. We try to spread the good news throughout the year, not just at holiday time. If you or someone you know has a story to tell, we’re dying to know about it. We encourage you to reach out to us.
In the meantime, don’t forget to focus on the core values in life: being kind to one another and treat each other with respect. Perhaps our holiday gift will be a catalyst to helping you achieve those core values.
We can find peace and hope that things will get better. Let’s start by going in hot pursuit of recognizing the good that many people have to offer the rest of us.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!