Deb Bently wrote an entire column once about a single mistake she made in the newspaper.
It’s my turn.
But my mistakes are too numerous to list here.
One of my writers failed to show up for an event this week and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ve already disappointed the folks I made a promise to.
Another gut punch.
This past month the city clerk in Ellendale resigned and now appears to be resigning and simply taking a step back. Steve Engel tells me three members of council/mayor are not seeking re-election.
Likely because they, too, feel like they’ve been punched in the stomach one too many times.
I had another conversation at length about this with a friend, Dave Zika. He mentioned Deb’s column and it got us talking. Every error published in the newspaper falls back to me. I don’t pass along these errors to my staff unless I deem it beneficial. If they can’t do something about the mistake and if there is little to learn, why subjugate them to the same pain?
It means I take shots to the chin every week.
The difference, however, is for everyone of those punches and gut checks, there are many, many positive comments; thank you’s; and ‘attaboys.’
Or this week, a hand-written letter from Grandma Sharon Eckart.
Or multiple letters included on subscription renewals with folks telling me how much they value the paper.
Or a phone call where a gentleman in Faribault called and asked me to start a newspaper in that town because he enjoys ours so much. He even offered to help pay for it. I unfortunately told him my greatest resource right now is time. And I’m simply not interested at this time.
Members of the city council and, frankly, a lot of my staff are not reminded when they do a good job. They don’t get hundreds or thousands of “attaboys” throughout the year. I imagine, without all of the positive reinforcement, I would not continue in my current profession.
I am continually reminded that the work I do has value and meaning to many.
I can imagine what it’s like not getting that positive reinforcement. I just have to pretend all of the complaints I hear continue without a break.
And all of these people, including myself, have personal lives outside of our jobs/careers with additional stresses.
I’ve found myself saying numerous times this week, “It costs me nothing to be kind.”
I was at Walmart this week buying some groceries.
The checkout lady was quick and kind. But she rang me up for one too many of an item.
I decided I didn’t care as I had caught it after I checked out.
As I left, I thought, “I bet the receipt lady stops me.”
She did.
She was kind.
As she looked at my receipt, I said, “It’s ironic, we both checked the receipt and what you will find is I’m missing an item.”
She looked mortified.
I then felt bad and immediately smiled and said, “I’m not mad. I want you to have a wonderful day. You did nothing wrong and I don’t want you to do anything.”
This woman, Sue, immediately says, “There needs to be more people like you in the world.”
She offered to help me get my $5 back and I assured her it was okay.
We had a nice conversation and I said again, “It costs me nothing to be kind.”
This business between the city of Ellendale and Daniel Petsinger has caused a great deal of stress on a great many people. I’ve spent about a dozen hours talking to the city, Daniel, and others about the situation. Please be kind. And please remember I am a journalist and resident of the NRHEG community who intends to live here for the rest of my life. I care about each and every person involved in this situation and would like to see an amicable, safe, solution.
P.S.
Reed, our production manager, has essentially retired. I care about him and love him as family. I have known him since I was seven years old. He has some damage to his brain from a series of strokes/seizures. The doctors tell me they have identified the cause and it is being treated. But the damage done is done. Reed has a hard time speaking these days. He has one living family member, a cousin in her 80s. I am there for Reed as much as I can be.
I have transitioned our subscription software to the same software I use for the Pioneer and the same kind my mother uses in Janesville. Doing so has taken more than three months. Going through the system Reed built from scratch took a long time. More than 100 expiration dates were lost. Thankfully we have a print backup with all of the addresses, so no official subscriber addresses were lost. In the past three weeks, we sent out renewal notices to more than 600 subscribers. Many of you, really everyone, has been kind when calling, emailing, texting or stopping in person to help me correct the date of your subscriptions.
Forgive me. Helping Reed while trying to manage everything else in life, including the death of my grandpa Ray has been trying. I simply try to be kind to people, hoping they understand.
Truly, we never know what people are going through.
I believe myself to live an incredibly blessed life and say my prayers of gratitude every night before I go to sleep.
“Who indeed can harm you if you are committed deeply to doing what is right?” — I Peter 3:13