Don't forget to include us when sharing good news

It didn’t come until Mother’s Day, but it was worth it. It was the first “spring rain,” which is a light, refreshing rain that smells like spring.

I sat on the back deck and just breathed it in.  It was worth the long wait, and a perfect Mothers Day gift.

The Canada Geese are back — along with a big, fat turkey. Hope he isn’t getting fat stealing baby goose eggs.

Attended a baby shower recently, a fun party for the new little girl Wyatt and Madison will be welcoming into their home come mid-July. And I was remanded again of why “community” newspapers are no longer full of “community” news. 

Oh, there is town, school, county, business, school, etc., news. But no engagements, weddings, anniversaries, births, birthday parties, notes of interest, out-of-town visitors.  They have all gone on Facebook.

I saw three young couples carrying around babies, one almost a year old, that I hadn’t heard existed. The newest was the Preston Murdoch’s new little one.  And the answer is always, “It was on Facebook.”

Not all of us spend a lot of time on Facebook; a lot of us don’t have that many “friends” on Facebook, so we never hear “the news that IS the news.”

Progress is great. Facebook is great. But it doesn’t replace a good old hometown newspaper, where you hear what’s going on with neighbors, friends, college students home for the holidays, birthday parties for youngsters or oldsters.

One “old” June edition had four, yes, FOUR weddings and two engagements. And that was about the norm in June or July.   And we always had birth announcements and engagements. 

Life has changed. People have changed. Newspapering has changed. That’s called “The passage of time.”

But sometimes, in the “passage of time,” we leave behind some very good, small-town newsy things. Things that you never found in “big city” newspapers.

Facebook is good. But Facebook also leaves a lot to be desired. 

So please, when something wonderful happens — a new baby, a wedding, an engagement, an anniversary, or an honor earned — go ahead and put it on Facebook, but then give your local newspaper a call, or drop them a note and share the good news with those who don’t have Facebook.  We’ll be glad you did.