While those of us present for the Krugerville City Council meeting on Sept. 10 waited for the council to come back from its executive session, I got the chance to connect with a reader who I've known of for several years.
As we talked, he said that these columns I write help our readers have a peek into the human element behind this hometown newspaper.
That comment meant more than he probably realized.
It's been an interesting experience, sharing a view into my life with all of you through this medium for the last few years.
Many of the messages, particularly when I spoke about overcoming obstacles, pushing through apathy and processing grief, were deeply personal topics at the time.
In some ways, especially if you know how to read into it, these columns have served as a kind of journal about what I've been experiencing with, I hope, greater tie-ins to issues in our community or overarching issues we all face as people.
In some of my columns, I've had the opportunity to share moments of great joy as well, especially in relation to my daughters as well as to professional successes we have had at the paper.
One topic I haven't shared much of has been my love life.
I mentioned some news in that arena to the reader I mentioned earlier, and his response was to encourage me to share it in the paper.
It is with great joy that I say how sweet life has become in the last few months.
I have found the right partner for me.
For the first time, I am in love with a fellow journalist, and that, in and of itself, is such a cool experience. If you get a chance to chat with Jim Bardwell when he comes along to one of our community events, you will get to talk to one of the most interesting and fun people I've ever had the luck to meet.
Not only can he share a wealth of awesome experiences he's had during his career, but he is also an incredibly intelligent and caring person who can chat about pretty much any topic.
I can be a bit too serious sometimes, loud laugh notwithstanding.
I'm a perfectionist who feels like I never quite do enough.
Jim, however, has a way of helping me see myself differently, and I trust his view of me because he has been there and continues to be there professionally.
Life is so much more fun when you find the right partner.
Somehow, I found someone who doesn't just do grand, sweeping gestures, even though he's willing to do those.
He also cares about the little things, like handing me an AirPod to listen to on a plane ride so we can hear the same music and share the experience.
We should probably be in an ad for our press associations, because that's how we crossed paths as friends and then eventually came together to become partners.
I'm so grateful for this adventure he and I are having, and for the chance to share it with all of you.
Abigail Allen is the Editor & Publisher of the Post-Signal. She can be reached at aallen@postsignal. com.
OPINION
ABIGAIL ALLEN
