It will have been worth it...

As the editor of Inside Putnam County Magazine, my responsibility is to ensure that every issue is full of entertaining, informative, and interesting articles. I must generate ideas for features, oversee work by writers, edit information, proofread all content, and select high quality photographs. I must also manage schedules and contact advertisers. Nevertheless, most important on the list is keeping in mind the overall goal we are seeking to achieve in each publication. Our magazine is a lifestyle publication for all the residents living in Putnam County, West Virginia. It is also a good resource for anyone seeking to live a positive uplifting lifestyle. With each edition, I look for stories that reveal hidden heroes and those whose contribution to society have influenced our hopes and dreams in a positive way. I believe there is excessively too much violence in our media and too much insensitive information being portrayed. Much too often people tend to look for the misfortunes of others as entertainment. Whether programmed into us or something that is just part of our human nature is under considerable debate. There are times when I have felt so caught up in some sort of unbelievable horrific story, I actually could not believe that anyone could be so insensitive. I have even gone so far in my disbelief to spend hours researching the validity of what I had just heard or read. It is no wonder we have those who choose to follow paths of destruction. They hear and read about violence, lies, cons, theft and more all with such middle of the road nonchalant recollections that they cannot quite grasp the significance of the wrongdoings. There was a time when right was right and wrong was wrong. There are still those who adhere to high morals and insist on fighting injustice. However, a generation has become so lost in gray material that they just cannot quite find a line between right and wrong. I, myself must sometimes fight hard to control my composure and keep smiling to keep a good attitude. I do not want to become deprogrammed to right and wrong or to the goodness inside most people. I want to lift up a spirit, put a smile back on a face, and hear an enthusiastic “your story made me realize I can do great things, I can make a difference”. If our publication manages to give hope back to just one person or it helps someone turn their life around to do some good, than all the hard work will have been worth it. If it helps people see that doing the right thing is more rewarding than hurting others it will have been worth it. If it brings folks back together and we are once again looking out for our neighbors, it will have been worth it. If it makes acquiring good character more important than acquiring a new gadget, it will have been worth it. If it helps even one person overcome adversity, it will have been worth it. With all the duties I juggle every day, none is as important as the ultimate goal of our magazine. My main objective is to portray living in a positive way and to stand firm in the job of helping to create a better community in which to live.