Onward We Go!
Several weeks ago, I was notified that this newspaper would be making some changes with the scope of its design and publication. Therefore, today is the last Sunday column in the Dayton Daily News. I’ve been submitting a weekly column for several years now, and i’ve been grateful for the platform to share life with you.
I realize how we’ve all travelled together through my column. I brought you with me when I moved my daughter to Minnesota. I invited you to the socially distanced dinner with my husband when I had Covid as we were yelling to each other from across the reach of our home. I wrote about being stuck in jeans and a wool sweater on that beach vacation when I lost my luggage. I even wrote about how my granddaughter’s broken toenail became a metaphorical lesson in how letting go leads to something new. I’ve shared appreciation for our veterans who so selflessly served our country. I’ve written about how much I still miss my mom, and how I’ve embraced every opportunity to expand the conversation around mental health and suicide prevention in honor of my two brothers. And of course, you all know I’m a grandmother very much smitten and in love with my little ones.
What I’ve loved most is hearing from so many of you over the years who’ve been touched or can relate to whatever musings make it to my column. Frequent Sunday morning emails or acknowledgement in the grocery store aisle from readers have been so encouraging and very much appreciated. If you follow me, you know my writing style is to avoid that which divides us. Rather, I prefer to give voice those aspects of life that connect us. I’ve shared my family with you. I’ve shared my observations of the extraordinary in the ordinary. I’ve been open about loss, heartache, and the kind of pain not easily endured. I’ve been inspired by others who exhibit courage and audacity amidst their unwelcome adversity. I’ve loved every opportunity to share the beauty and treasures of our beloved corner of southwest Ohio and the neighborhoods we call home.
Also, there’s the humor. I mean, consider the time when I removed an infant car seat from my car. Talk about unladylike. Imagine me in a dress and heels trying to figure out how to release the NASA worthy safety clasps secured deeply into the abyss of my back seat. All I can say is that column did nothing but highlight my very unattractive back side.
Above all, I stand by my belief that good is always somewhere, if only we remain open to its grace filled presence. I know darkness, and I also know hope can shed light towards a path forward. Despite our differences, we share humanity. The threads of our life tapestries are often recognizable when we open ourselves to one another.
The good news is I will continue to write. If you haven’t yet, please subscribe to my blog at annemarieromer.com. That way, you will get a notification each time I upload an article. There, we can continue our travels through life together. I hope to continue to give voice to common denominators we all share; love, loss, joy, and sorrow. Also, we all need a good laugh from time to time. So, until we connect again, I sign off with gratitude.
Photo by Paul Green on Unsplash