By Caylie Moore, Features Editor
Dear reader:
As some of you have thoughtfully noticed, Gadsden Messenger recently welcomed someone new to the team behind the “local good news newspaper”: me — that is, Caylie Moore, Features Editor! And I am so excited to be here, more than I could ever begin to put into words!
But let me try to, anyway.
The past few weeks have been some of the most fun, most interesting times of my life: I’ve met so many wonderful people who were willing to tell me their stories; I’ve learned what it means to be a journalist who aims to not only highlight but also exemplify the positive aspects of their community; and I’ve made so many new friends who have taught me the ins and outs of this role. Needless to say, I am beyond grateful to have been given the opportunity to tell your stories to our community — and I hope that in telling your stories, you’ll come to understand a little bit of mine, too.
I grew up in Attalla — Duck Springs, to be specific — and I’d like to think it shows in the ways that count: in the way I treat other people with kindness and understanding, in the way I let my accent slip out when I talk about something I’m passionate about, in the way I wear my heart on my sleeve all of the time. Although I have traveled around the country — to Massachusetts, to California, to Connecticut, to New York — and been across the Atlantic (here and there!), there’s something special about the community that is Etowah County, and I find myself coming back to it again and again, no matter what.
Having studied English at Columbia, you’d think I’d be able to quote some awe-inspiring line from some awe-inspiring author, or maybe even a poet or two, to sum up how I feel about this moment in my life — but my memory fails me right now, just as much as my words fall short of doing my feelings justice. I just know that I am better — happier — these days than I have been in a long, long time. And I know just as well that Gadsden Messenger is to thank for that.
I’ll make this simple: We have a lot of work to do. There are so many stories to cover — so many words to put to the page, so many computer keys to tap, tap, tap — in our small but mighty community, and there’s not nearly enough time in the day to cover them all.
But let me try to, anyway.
The clock is ticking, and my fingers are itching to write the next story. So, let’s get to work.
