It had been some time since we stared deep into her brown eyes.
Life gets so hectic, and the drumbeat of current events has most of us on an out-of-control treadmill. We find ourselves quite often these days taking a seat outside to ponder life and where society is headed.
As we stared into space, Daisy strolled along, tail wagging and tongue panting. Golden blonde hair is now highlighted with white whiskers on her snout. Usually content with a quick pet and on about her business, that particular day she seemed to want to spend some more time. An extended visit you could say.
Her gentleness and kind disposition quickly washed away any worries we were fumbling with. In the moment, we got pulled into those big brown eyes and for a few minutes anyway, very little else mattered.
It was a needed reprieve and something we wanted to share this week with our readers as encouragement to “find some kind” this week. We all need it.
Local in the headlines
In reaction to yet another assassination and shooting in the United States, numerous politicians called for a return to a local focus on life. This advice followed something many of us have advocated for years, which is tuning out social media.
For far too long the psyche of the free world has followed the ebbs and flows of the online world. Notifications, like alarms, drive anxiety for many who fear missing out on the latest news on matters over which they have no control.
Generally, updates, depending on genre, do little to advance the cause or solve issues that are well beyond an individual’s control.
Locally, people can have an impact. Getting involved with service groups or aiding fellow residents are great ways to make neighbourhoods and communities stronger.
Participating in your hometown by consuming local news increases the understanding of local government and its direct impact on quality of life.
Sorry about that
Readers will notice this week that a letter writer clarifies her letter was not written by AI.
In one respect we found it an odd note to append, but even we from time to time get surprised.
Our letters page is a forum of opportunity for the public to express their views on matters affecting our local community. Over the course of time residents have shared their opinions and a consensus of understanding has ensued. We can do that here in Wellington – talking like neighbours without anonymity or cat-calls or mean-spirited reactions.
Unfortunately, someone who should know better spoiled the simplicity of our decades-old pact with readers by submitting an AI-generated letter that was published. We still take people at their word and still do business with a handshake, so of course this was unsettling for us.
The letter that ran was markedly different than previously published submissions from the same author. It was actually cogent, free of hyperbole, less critical and not condescending. We remembered musing with the editor that perhaps this person had finally learned something. Apparently not – it was AI.
When submitting letters, please use your own voice and ideas.
We insist on it.
