Message from the Publisher

One Man’s Opinion: From Ryan Sauers  

How are you? I hope and pray each of you is safe and well. We are living in unprecedented times. We have said for years that we “did not have time” to do “xyz” (insert your own word here). The past couple months we have had more time than ever. The question is what we have done with this time. What have we learned about ourselves? What have we learned about others, and also how much do we take our freedom for granted?

We are in what I am calling the great human reset. We have all been social distancing and staying in our homes for a long time now. This means, human, you have likely created new habits. Maybe you have begun to cook or play a musical instrument. Maybe you have started to catch up with old friends you have not had time to connect with. Maybe you wish you had bought some ZOOM stock. I sure wish I had. As a student of human behavior, I predict this quarantined time will impact us for years to come. I want us to focus on four “P” words to reflect on now and moving forward.

First is purpose. What is your purpose? Have you had a chance to think about it and your legacy in this world? For me it is about helping people in as many ways as I can. I created a new show during this time called Community Connections to profile so many people/organizations doing amazing things. I have been reminded that none of us will live forever. We must focus on how we conduct ourselves and treat others. We should listen for God’s voice and remind ourselves that we are not in control of this situation. How about you and your purpose?

Second, is passion. Americans are tough and resilient. We can take a punch or two. I have seen passionate business owners “pivot” and change their models in a few weeks. I have seen community members (in great numbers) support local restaurants each night through take out. I have been part of two Zoom groups and caught up with some old fraternity brothers in one and have gotten to know some local people a lot better in the other. The passion and energy from everyone has been amazing. Simply said, we need each other. Zoom has been a good tool – but human beings are created in God’s image and meant to have relationships with each other. I have missed that. I have missed it a lot.

Third, is perseverance. Let us face it, as time went on, we all came to realize this was not some extended Christmas vacation. The things we love have been taken away. We have not been able to hug the ones we love. We have been separated from dear friends and family. We have worked from home. We may not even have a job. Our frontline workers (health care and others) have been amazing and brave. Our teachers and students have been amazing. And, kudos, to you Class of 2020. You exemplify toughness born near 9-11 and graduating during this. We shall persevere together. It is not the norm for most of us to stand six feet apart or walk around other people in a park. It is not the norm for most of us to wear masks. Think about how many things have changed in two months. However, we are tough, and we will persevere. We WILL get to the other side of this

Finally, we have learned patience. We have been forced to do so. I cannot recall how many times I have seen someone (from six feet away) and told them to go ahead as I was not in a hurry. This is not the norm for me. Moreover, people and organizations of all sizes have been forced to learn patience. Will the SBA loan come in? How many employees can they keep employed? When can one go to a sporting again? How will elections work? Will this “new normal” ever end? There are more unknowns than knowns. Things change on a weekly basis. We have been forced to slow down. In my case, and this is hard for me, I can hear the birds settle in my trees each night and I can watch the sunset. These were things I rarely made time to do. I do love this new habit.

We are all in this together. We must be patient, passionate, remember our purpose in the world, and never quit. We WILL persevere together and get through this side by side. Just remember, one step at a time, one punch at a time, and one round at a time. You are an amazing community. Keep the faith. We shall prevail. Thank you, as always, for continuing with me on the journey of my town, your town, OUR TOWN!