Goodbye Westborough Patch, Time For a New Adventure

After taking a couple years out of my life to , it is time for me to move on to a new adventure. But, I have to admit, I am doing it with a heavy heart.

I believe in the mission of Patch. To create a forum where we can all join together to share ideas, opinions, photos, accomplishments and news has been one of the more fulfilling projects I have attempted. We are a community, and we now have a strong community resource for our lives where we can go to connect with friends, neighbors and family.

I came into this job thinking I knew my town pretty darn well, having lived here for nearly 20 years and choosing this town to raise and educate my children. But what I learned in the past couple years far exceeds what I ever knew about Westborough. Now more than ever before, I know this is a special place, indeed. And make no mistake about it, it’s the people who make this happen.

I also mastered the art of researching and writing 5 things you need to know today, having written about 3,000 things to know. With such practice, I decided to leave this job with a “5 Things” column of my own. Here are 5 Things I Learned as Editor of Westborough Patch:

1. Our and officers are . I have watched and listened as they attended to incidents of domestic abuse, road rage, , , drug use and . I’ve witnessed them moving items from roadways, checking the wellbeing of senior citizens, and assisting the mentally disturbed. I will always recall sitting with Police Chief Alan Gordon and listening as he described the . He explained the importance of assisting everyone involved, even the officers who witnessed the tragedy. And I know that he visited with the newly orphaned children in the days that followed, unknown to any of us in the public or the media.

2. Our community is dynamic because of who we are, and who we are is refreshingly diverse. We are , , , , , , , , , , , and more. We are and , and , and . We thrive in this collection of backgrounds, with so many willing to . Each of us has and . It is in taking the time to share that, or , that we become a strong community.

3. There are always 5 things to know today. There are always 5 things to do today. You don’t have to leave Westborough to enjoy, , , or .

4. — and if you follow Westborough Patch, you will find that we often do — but in the end, our goals are the same: to be happy and live in peace. . A pair of shoes to a runner is far more valuable than to a swimmer. Perhaps what we need to remember is that there is no right or wrong, good or bad. If you’ll humor me by listening to my two cents (and I’m aware that is all anyone would ever pay for it), democracy was designed so that we can all bring our different perspectives together. However, democracy can only work if we respect the outcome rather than holding grudges or criticizing our neighbors. As I always tell my kids, despite the billions of us on this Earth, no two of us are standing in the same place at the same time. At any given moment, we literally all have a different view of our world.

5. I have a great family. My husband, Gary, and our two terrific kids, Joey (11) and Sam (22) put up with Wacky Mom — er, I mean PATCHY Mom — over the past two years. They tolerated me when I pulled the car to a sudden stop to get a picture of or called their friends because I heard . They rolled their eyes quietly — I call that “politely” — when someone asked if I was the Patch lady. They often told me if they didn’t like what I posted, but they also reminded me that I did a good job when I was having a bad day. And, I know they all are looking forward to having me “back home” for nights and weekends. And that, since so many of you have asked me, is the main reason that I am moving on to a new adventure.

I may be leaving this job, but I'm still your neighbor and value your friendship. Please visit me on my personal website, Facebook, Twitter and Linked In. Let's stay in touch.

Thank you for being so supportive of this virtual community, Westborough. Sincerely.