Christina’s Column

 

New Year, New Day

 

By Christina Hazelwood

In this my first column, I want to express my gratitude and thankfulness.  I am grateful to be given the opportunity to have my monthly column published and thankful, that in this era of newspaper constriction, “YPNI News” publisher, Ava Ross, has taken the bold step of launching a national newspaper.  I am grateful to be given the opportunity to express my views in a national forum and am thankful to those who choose to read it.

Secondly, I would like to introduce myself and express my intentions with this column.  I was born and grew up in Missouri, the show-me state, and continue to hold to that core philosophy.  I started writing as a youngster with journals and stories and never stopped.  I earned a journalism degree from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, and have worked for several local and regional newspapers as a reporter and editor.

From there I have gone on to write everything from advertising copy to poetry, from sales collateral to screenplays.  Now, in my middle years, I feel the desire to connect more directly with readers and express myself in a more authentic way, hence, this column.  My column started out as monthly email blog sent to friends and expanded, through those connections, to additional readers.  I had always hoped that one day I would find a publication that would have me, and finally that day has arrived.

My intentions, with this continuing column, are to offer my take on being, in the words of U.S. President Barack Obama, “a citizen of the world.”  In it I will present and provide information, topics, issues and opinions that relate to being a member of the global community from my humble perspective.  I will endeavor to inform, stimulate, intrigue and interest you.  I am hopeful that you will find my contribution to be of value to you and inspire you.

At times, I thought of giving up writing the column, since it required a great deal of time and effort with little to nothing to show for it.  But then a friend and reader would respond to my column and it would urge me to continue for another month.  I suppose all writing is born out of need or desire.

Because I was raised in an environment where I was expected to shut up and take it, I have a backlog of unexpressed views.  Having been taught that any expression, even of physical pain, was a sign of weakness or impudence, I was trained to be quiet.  Even when evil or harm was happening around me or to me, I learned that silence was golden, because any form of expression only led to more harm and pain.  My needs were seen as an imposition and an inconvenience, not only as a child, but on into my adult years.  My needs and opinions were considered invalid, intrusive and unwelcome.  My only outlet was, essentially, to write to myself in silence and then eventually, as now, to the world-at-large.

So, dear readers, I have a lot of information stored up in me, that I am very pleased to have the opportunity to share with you.  I hope you find my column, at times, to be insightful, enlightening and even humorous.  I welcome your feedback and suggestions as they urge me to continue writing.  Publisher Ava Ross has agreed to allow me to send a link to the “YPNI News” website to my continuing blog readers who I hope will enjoy the new format.  Thank you for sharing this moment with me and I look forward to many more.

To view my past columns go to www.ROMInternational.com and click on the “Christina’s Column” at the top right corner.  Email me with any comments, suggestions or requests at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .