Sometimes I want to crawl into my bed, turn off social media and never read the news again.
Another shooting, this time in Florida. More people being ecavuated because of wildfires. Whales carrying their dead babies for days on end. Fatal accidents on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Where does the death, devistation, evironmental disaster, tragedy end?
Passion. That is where it ends.
Every time I talk to someone about their passion projects I remember why I love my job. And it doesn’t even matter what it is.
Mining, app engineering, gardening, if you speak the language with enthusiasm I want to hear about it. I will ask too many questions, and clarify even the simplest things, but it is only because I want to translate your passion in a way that everyone can relate to.
It is these stories that keep me going.
Some people get a thrill from chasing ambulances, some walk around town with an “everything is on the record” attitude.
But not me, I want to talk to passionate, weird, amazing people and share their stories with the world.
Because it just might inspire someone.
Your struggle, triumph, pet project, determination, might make someone feel less alone in the world, it might be that last drop of inspiration needed to finish an idea.
My job encompasses so many things. I can’t avoid the tragedy because the victims need to be remembered, the system or the perpetrators needs to be held accountable, it is part of the job, a difficult part but important.
Luckily I can balance the sad news stories with the good news stories that celebrate and hopefully build community.
But then there is everything else. Meeting page view quotas and audience reach which in turn makes money.
This part, is difficult, draining. It isn’t why I wanted to be a journalist in the first place. And as it turns out it is the part that people complain about the most.
The news isn’t dying, it is evolving. Another reason why I want to hide in my bed–evolving takes a lot of energy when there is no road map.
But if I get to meet one more awesome person who is pursuing their passion, then I guess the sadness, fear and growing pains are all worth it.