As I was preparing to begin today’s column, it occurred to me I had been filling this space for quite some time now.
Actually, it was 10 years ago today my first opinion column appeared in The Sun Chronicle. Combine that with the fact today is Friday the 13th, and you can make a strong case you poor readers just can’t catch a break.
So on the auspicious occasion of completing one full decade of columns (important only to me), I thought I would pause for a moment and say thanks to all who have made it possible for me to have this regular conversation with folks all across our wide readership area.
When I started doing this, Mike Kirby was the editor. Thanks to him for bringing me onboard here. George W. Bush was president (boy, does that now seem so long ago). The Red Sox were about to win the World Series, the Patriots were beginning an undefeated regular season culminating in a crushing Super Bowl loss, and the Celtics were on their way to their 17th championship.
That first column a decade ago was about an upcoming recall election in Mansfield. Most that have followed have been about local government and politics because that is something I have great experience with and enjoy. Some columns have been positive, a lot have been critical, and more than a few simply sought to inspire discussion and shine a spotlight on local government.
Sometimes I veer off into national or statewide issues. This has led to people calling me a “leftist” columnist, something that always makes me chuckle. While I’ve certainly never hidden my political inclinations or opinions, I don’t consider myself to be a disciple of any particular ideology. I write about things that interest me, and I express my opinion on them.
I don’t do that to plug anything, or advance a certain side, or promote individuals or philosophies. I do it because it is what I am supposed to do. I write about what I think is important. And I don’t generally hold back. I’ve found that an un-opinionated opinion columnist just isn’t very interesting.
But perhaps my favorite columns are the ones I have written about people, friends and family. They are the columns I go back and read because they make me smile, sometimes make me cry, but always make me reflect.
My two sons and their families might have been mentioned a few times. I had no grandchildren when I started writing this column in 2007. I now have five. My oldest grandchild Will (have I mentioned his name is William? Yes, I said it again) is now 9. He is followed by Avery (5), Sammy (4), Addison (2) and Tommy (2). I talk about them here often, and my wife and I love them more than life itself.
Ah, my wife. She too has been the subject of a few columns, and has been a great sport about them. She is not only often my inspiration to write, but serves as my editor and sounding board. Almost every column is read to her before it is submitted, and her intelligence and ability to be honest with me has made me a better writer. Thank you, my love.
I’ve written about many special people over the years — my former teacher Al Nuttall, my late friend Fred Burchill, and a slew of other individuals including politicians, local officials, and just regular folks who have touched my life. I hope you enjoyed those too.
And of course, none one of this would be possible without you – the readers of the Sun Chronicle and this space.
I’ve gotten to speak and communicate with many of you over the last 10 years. I’ve gotten some touching handwritten notes, some very nice emails, and a lot of intelligent criticism – along with some not-so-nice stuff. But I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.
So thanks for reading me for a complete decade. I treat the ability to reach out to you twice every week as a privilege, and hope our conversations continue for a long time. You‘ll always get from me the only thing I can offer – my honest opinion.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and longtime local official. He can be reached at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.