The power of words
When I cam in this morning I had a voicemail and a few calls about my story. Both a lieutenant colonel of the Air Force and a retired sergeant of the Marine Corps called to comment on my story. They both said it was powerful and it brought them to tears. I had no idea what to say. It was an amazing experience. I always forget the power that we have as journalists, not just in telling people what is going on and holding leaders accountable, but also telling people about people and showing the humanity that exists in daily lives. Sgt Washington was no ordinary man, and the two callers are men who gave extraordinary service to the country. Bur telling stories like this are so important because they show the best of humanity that is coming out in the darkest of Sgt. Washington’s family’s lives.
On a semi-related note, I just finished an obit for tomorrow’s paper about an everyday woman who was killed in a freak accident on a ranch on Tuesday. Just in talking to her family, it is clear that this woman meant the world to them. She held the family together, they built a ranch together and were set to move in when the woman died. Stories like these are so compelling to ne.
It feels like I am being put on the death beat, but even though these stories are so difficult to report, it really shows the importance of the craft. I don’t know, maybe I am too obsessed with Jim Sheeler.
Wow, that was a ramble.
