A fond farewell
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Well my friends, if you’re reading this, I’m no longer a reporter at the Valley Journal.
Ouch, right? Sorry, I had a couple of different options as to how I’d break this to you, but I decided to go with the “quick Band-Aid removal” method. I know it stings, but it’ll only last a minute.
All good things must come to an end, and it has been my absolute pleasure to live and work in this great community. This place has become a second home for me, and while I am done reporting, I’ll continue writing occasional columns that (hopefully) make you laugh.
To be clear, I’m leaving with nothing but love in my heart for this organization and the people who work here. I’ve always wanted to try my hand in emergency medicine, and after going on a few ride-alongs with Ronan/Polson Ambulance, I’m pretty sure EMT/paramedic is the calling I missed.
Luckily, I’m still young enough to find out.
Facebook is full of motivational banners, posters and pictures depicting misty seascapes, cosmic phenomena and beautiful sunsets. Almost all of them have sentiments superimposed over the images reading, “follow your heart, follow your dreams, enjoy the journey, do what makes you happy.” God knows how often I’ve given similar advice and agreed wholeheartedly with those words, but I can’t say I’ve always lived up to that standard.
I’d like to say I’m the kind of man who means what he says and says what he means, but for that to be true, I need to start taking my own advice ... and that’s why I’m leaving.
There is no time like the present, and as anyone who’s taken a chance will tell you, it’s absolutely terrifying.
I could be making the worst decision of my life. I could wake up tomorrow and regret this choice. I could be just around the corner from monumental success, fame, fortune, and a key to the Playboy mansion.
Then again, I could wake up tomorrow and promptly be crushed by an AT&T satellite that fell out of orbit. Life is too short to not take chances, and I refuse to be afraid of the unknown while robbing myself of the opportunity to become the man I want to be.
I won’t say goodbye, as that implies we’ll never see each other again. Instead, I’ll simply say thank you and I’ll see you guys later.
And if you should see me on the street, stop by and say hello. I promise that whatever we talk about, from this day forward, is off the record.
