Dear Readers,

It’s going on five months since the bottom fell out. Since our world, as we knew it, started seemingly falling apart over night. In these last months, most of us have experienced things we never have nor anticipated having to experience. And for me, so many things, so many moments in time, make me ask: How can this be the world I live in? True, the global pandemic – closing of our business, online school, not seeing our family and friends, quarantining, family members testing positive with the dreaded virus, children’s tears from confusion and lack of understanding, my tears from confusion and lack of understanding, anguish and fear of losing everything we have built, sadness as beloved events and activities are canceled, seeing empty streets and neighbors hidden behind masks, endless, endless, endless negativity, fear mongering, divisive and contradictory messaging daily from all sides and every angle; true... None of this was something I ever thought I would experience – and neither did you.

As even more time has passed and we have all sat horrified watching images of grief and despair from our fellow citizens and human beings, living disenfranchised and persecuted for their entire existence in this country; it has been a hard truth to face about our America. In the same moment, the evil and pervasive wanton abandonment of law and order, of acknowledgement of true criminal element versus peaceful, heartfelt and necessary, meaningful protesting for change.

Yesterday I was driving to see my father, who on top of all of the world’s problems, these last five months, has experienced two falls, two stays in the hospital, two stays in nursing rehab and a positive Covid test. Um yeah... While headed to visit him through his window at his new home in assisted living, I heard on the radio, quite ironically, a song I knew well. A Little Good News, recorded by Anne Murray in the early 80’s and written by talented writers who I grew up with; in and out of each other’s homes, as best friends and peers of my father. It was poignant to say the least in that moment, and then

I listened closer. The words resonated in a way I could not imagine. Written nearly forty years ago and yet... It could have been written that day.

So how do we as a country reconcile all that is happening around us? How do WE enact real change? WE cannot blame the law enforcement - they are, as a whole, are OUR great protectors on a daily basis; we cannot blame politicians, as WE elected them and continue to condone partisan rhetoric; WE cannot blame a race in particular because there are bad actors of every size shape and color, everywhere; and we certainly can’t blame a virus. What we can do, is take responsibility, acknowledge our great responsibility as human beings and Americans to do what is right. To make things right; to look for, hope for, and pray for, compassion, understanding, kindness and solidarity. No race, no party, no division. Now that, would be a little good news today.

Be Safe Williamson County. Be kind.

Shelly Robertson Birdsong

Publisher

shelly@robertsonmediagroup.com

A Little Good News – Anne Murray

I rolled out this morning, Kids had the mornin’ news show on. Bryant Gumbel was talkin’ ‘bout the fighting in Lebanon. Some senator was squawkin’ ‘bout the bad economy. It’s gonna get worse you see, we need a change in policy.

There’s a local paper rolled up in a rubber band. One more sad story’s one more than I can stand. Just once how I’d like to see the headline say
“Not much to print today, can’t find nothin’ bad to say,” because nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town, nobody OD’ed, nobody burned a single buildin’ down. Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain.

We sure could use a little good news today

I’ll come home this evenin’, I’ll bet that the news will be the same. Somebody takes a hostage, somebody steals a plane. How I want to hear the anchor man talk about a county fair. And how we cleaned up the air, how everybody learned to care. Tell me Nobody was assassinated in the whole Third World today And in the streets of Ireland, all the children had to do was play. And everybody loves everybody in the good old USA.

We sure could use a little good news today

RORY MICHAEL BOURKE, CHARLIE BLACK, TOMMY ROCCO
© Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC