A year ago we were battling dust storms and smoke and could only hope the year 2020 (it had such a good ring to it) would roll in a positive change… little did we know how much of a transformation it would bring!
So much has been said and written about this turbulent year that will be etched into our memories forever. There have been countless challenges for all of us, but if we take a moment to reflect, we will all find some positives too.
During the lockdown I was forced out of my comfort zone and had to start digging deep to find positive stories for the paper every week. That was when I discovered once again what a wonderful community we live in, and how easy it was to find great stories once you started looking beyond the obvious.
I also realised, in asking people to write about their experiences, it brought the paper so much closer to the community and fulfilled a new role in sharing experiences and letting everyone know we are in this together.
The absence of events and therefore ‘news’ opened my eyes to the stories that really matter in our community and collecting and writing about these have brought me immense pleasure and satisfaction. Not only did the rain bring us relief and give us so much hope, but the community spirit we shared this year motivated us to keep on enjoying the simple pleasures in life.
I would like to send a big virtual hug to everyone who contributed to keeping our paper going this year. Thank you to our readers, advertisers and everyone who contributed a story, news tip, photo, thumbs up or letter. Wishing you all a blessed Christmas and serene 2021.
Maggi