Writing

When a way to live became a life worth living

By Tammie Gercken

 

Sometimes your journey through life takes an unexpected turn.

 

Due to corporate restructuring, I was laid off from my position as staff writer at The News Herald April 4, 2023. I had little time to process the shock and sadness of losing my job in the whirlwind of making sure everything I was responsible for was handled in the few hours I had left.

 

I realized as I was packing up my office, though, that I was taking home much more than coffee cups and files.

 

I’ve been writing for The News Herald for a decade, starting with my first Burke County Notebook column, published on a freelance basis June 30, 2013, titled, “Pursue a life worth living, not just a way to live.” It was a defense of occupations in arts and culture in a society that seems to value careers solely on how financially lucrative they are. 

 

The subject was close to my heart. I had joined the Morganton Writers’ Group that February to give my writing dreams another chance, dreams that had been crushed years before as a new graduate with a Bachelor of Science in English entering a job market that offered only office work. 

 

After languishing for years in accounting jobs, I was thrilled to see my byline in print in The News Herald. And I got to do it again and again, writing for BCN about things that inspired me, such as an “iCareTour” hosted by Burke United Christian Ministries that highlighted organizations in the community helping people in need, and an art exposition at the Morganton Public Library showcasing the work of talented artists, musicians and writers in Burke County.

 

By spring of 2015, the editor of The News Herald, Lisa Wall, asked me to submit a few articles in addition to writing for BCN. I previewed events such as the National Day of Prayer and the Morganton Jazz Fest. I wrote about a pillowcase sewing ministry at my church for a BCN that ran May 31, 2015, which led to me being assigned a weekly freelance “Faith and Values” feature beat. It was uplifting to report on the good works our churches were doing in the community.

 

A few months later, Lisa asked me to apply for a position that became available on The News Herald staff. I felt daunted and wondered if I could really do it, but I went on the interviews and to my surprise, got the job.

 

My first day working on staff was Dec. 14, 2015. I remember the date because Dec. 14 is my grandmother’s birthday, and she had just died that February. My first byline as a staff writer was an article about the Table Rock VFW holding a Christmas party for children of local North Carolina National Guard personnel deployed overseas. 

 

The majority of articles I wrote were about community events and the activities of nonprofit organizations and individuals. I was inspired every day to learn and share all the ways local residents were making people’s lives better.

 

Some stories were more than just assignments – they left invaluable lessons. 

 

Dakota Ward, an 8-year-old who collected jeans and shoes for homeless individuals, and William Patrick Happoldt, who began collecting blankets for the homeless when he was just 5, taught me that you are never too young or old to make a difference.

 

I had the privilege of sitting beside the hospital bed of Danielle Rose, a transgender woman battling cancer. She entrusted me with a tale tinged with a lifetime of pain and bullying she had endured, leaving behind the lesson that it’s so important to treat people with kindness and respect, no matter how different from you they may seem.

Then there was Derek Lane and Lea Moynihan. Derek was born with no eyes, and Lea is a deaf/blind individual. Both of them overcame overwhelming odds to achieve their dreams. Derek created a successful business as an audio engineer. Lea earned a master’s degree and traveled the state as a deaf/blind services specialist, helping other deaf/blind individuals become independent. They are living proof that you can find a way to create a fulfilling life, no matter how many challenges you face.

 

I have celebrated with the community in a long lineup of events from Martin Luther King Jr. Day to Christmas. I have had the opportunity to research the area’s rich history and speak with people passionate about preserving that history. I have felt especially privileged to share the many stories of local African Americans during Black History Month and bring their accomplishments to the spotlight, as well as nearly forgotten local Black neighborhoods, such as Huntertown. 

 

I appreciate all the people I interviewed and the fascinating stories they shared. I will still write articles for The News Herald on a freelance basis for now. I am thankful for the support and friendship of my coworkers and all they have taught me. And I am so grateful that Lisa took a chance on me and invited me on this great adventure. I have learned much from her and gained a valuable friend and mentor in the process.

 

Ten years, 730 articles, four North Carolina Press Association awards and one North Carolina Society of Historians Publication Award later, I felt laden down with so many gifts as I walked through the newsroom for the last time as a staff writer, even in the midst of profound sadness. All of the great memories and experiences, skills gained, lessons learned and relationships forged - I’m taking them all with me.

 

Out of all the things I’m taking with me, I’m leaving one lesson here for others. Don’t ever give up on your dreams, because you never know when God might resurrect them and take you on an amazing journey to achieve them. I wouldn’t have missed out on the last decade for anything, and I look forward to whatever else lies down the road as I continue to pursue “a life worth living.”