Over the last two and one-half years, I have written a Mayor’s Message for our weekly Direct Connect electronic newsletter. During that time period, I have heard a number of compliments for my messages, and a few negative critiques asking for more content on city affairs and events. Whether it was a message regarding the city’s operation or covered a topic from a more humanistic viewpoint, I searched not only my mind, I searched my heart for a topic and for a writing method to present it. I have been fortunate to have found topics over the last two and one-half years by using this process.
Sadly, I have found that the recent passing of my son has affected my ability both mentally and emotionally, to find topics that I feel not only are informative, they “touch the soul” of the reader. As Maya Angelou states, “the idea is to write it so that people hear it, and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.” Those topics were the ones that most readers related to, and they were the ones I enjoyed presenting to my readers. During this period where I am grieving the loss of my son, I will not be presenting any new Mayor’s Messages. Starting with our November 28th Direct Connect, I will be going to the archives, and presenting you with messages from the last two years. I will try to reprise those messages that readers said they truly enjoyed.
Hopefully, as time passes, and my family heals from this loss, I will find the inspiration to once again provide you with new messages on a weekly basis; messages that you can enjoy, and messages that will hopefully inspire you. Thank you for your past support and thank you for your expression of condolences to me and my family.