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| Write a short note and make someone smile
Letter from the Editor We aim to publish something on Thanksgiving to remind us all of the many joys that surround us, in spite of the 20 months of hardship we’ve endured.
Yes, it’s been rough. Many of us have lost someone to the pandemic or are close to people who have. We’ve dealt with anxiety – our own, that of our children or in others in our lives. We’ve seen the nation grow increasingly divided and bitter.
What if, on our annual day of giving thanks, we shared with each other the elements of our lives that warm our hearts. Could we take a moment to consider what is best in our lives, describe it in short passages and share it, so that we all might be reminded about what is best about inhabiting this magical world?
This is not a new idea. We did something similar in 2007 and published it on the front page of The Plain Dealer. We had a good response then, but we wonder whether the catharsis this exercise offers might generate an even bigger response during these epochal times.
Whether it’s the presence of someone in your life, a doctor or nurse who gave you great care or a treasured pet who provided companionship during the pandemic’s isolation, we hope you’ll write a note. Please, no snark. No notes saying “I’m grateful I’m not a Democrat,” or anything criticizing Donald Trump or Joe Biden. Please, do this in good faith.
So that we can publish as many of these as possible, we have set a character limit at 640. That’s not random. It’s the limit on the text messages I send out each weekday to subscribers of my Subtext account, in which I discuss stories we are working on and questions we seek to answer. People who receive these messages (They’re free. You can sign up at tinyurl.com/cquinntexts) know you can pack some big thoughts into a message of 640 characters.
Anyone who writes regularly knows that writing tight is a lot harder than writing long, and you might need to edit yourself a good bit to fit what you want to say into 640 characters, but I do it five days a week. If I can do it, anyone can.
If you wish to have your full name run with what you write, great. If you prefer just your first name, do that. And if you wish to be anonymous, that works, too, but we ask that you list your hometown. We’ve set up a form on our website to submit your thoughts. You can find it at tinyurl.com/2021grateful
Joy is infectious. Reading about the joy of others can bring us smiles and a warm hearts. You have the power here to raise the spirits of your Northeast Ohio neighbors this Thanksgiving with a simple message about what you treasure in your life. We hope you will.
As an example, here is my message – in 440 characters:
I am grateful for you. I'm grateful for the fellowship you have offered me during these 20 months, through your many notes commenting on what we do. Whether you offer praise or criticism for our work, I'm grateful that you take some time out of your day to let us know what's on your minds. Your kind words, especially, have given lift to me and those in our newsroom during challenging moments. I'm grateful for the privilege of being invited into your lives each day, through our website, newspaper, podcasts or text messages. And I'm glad so many of you are rooting for us and contributing to our continued success.
Two other quick thoughts.
One: I’ve written the past two weeks about whether we should stop writing news stories about the horse race polls released during elections, because polls have stopped being reliable. New Jersey offered a prime example with its governor’s race this year, and one of the major pollsters wrote a piece for our sister site, nj.com, suggesting what we have, that the era of horse race polls should end. It’s a great piece. You can read it at tinyurl.com/nomorepolls
Two: I won’t send this column next week. I’ve got a milestone birthday, and I’m one of those who take a couple of days off and consider my good fortune to still be vertical on a milestone birthday. I hit the pause button and think about where I come from and where I’m headed and all the people and parts of my life that make me smile. On the rare week when I don’t send a column, though, I receive some messages from people worried that I am ill, which is quite sweet. When there’s no column next week, please know I am well.
Thanks for reading,
Chris Quinn Editor and Vice President of Content
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