Publisher column: Finding the balance between cynicism and gratitude

Randy Capps

I was a bit of a cynic before I became a journalist, and that profession poured a bunch of cement around that foundational piece of my personality.

Sure, I try to dress it up occasionally, calling it realism, but if I’m keeping it “real,” not only is my glass half empty, it’s probably dirty and filled with almond milk.

Still, as I’ve gotten older, I find it easier to be thankful about what I’ve got — rather than focusing on the beach house I don’t own yet.

Maybe I am a realist if I can, in the midst of a crazy, everchanging world, be grateful for a wife that also doubles as my best friend. And a son that is a kinder, gentler soul than I could ever be. And in-laws that don’t treat me like I’m an in-law, even when I act like one.

When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, Shandy Communications will be 10 years old. I can be thankful to own a media company that’s been around that long, and one that has been embraced and sustained by a community that has done the same for me and my family.

Though I’m never going to be confused for an optimist, there’s still joy in my heart this holiday season. I hope the same for all of you.