Vision now a perfect 20/20

As they say, hindsight is always 20/20.

And they also say to never let go of a good thing.

Those statements have become all too real for me.

I let go of a good thing on Oct. 31.

That was my last day at The Commercial Review.

Here’s what I’ve been up to since then: I got married, honeymooned in Jamaica and started a new chapter in my career by working for The Evening Leader in St. Marys, Ohio. You may have still seen my byline a few times too; twice in the annual Thanksgiving issue, and twice recently while I was covering Fort Recovery boys basketball games.

It was hard for me to completely cut off all ties with my old stomping grounds, as I always checked in on what was happening in the area and keeping an eye on my ol’ pride and joy — the Patriot and Indian sports teams.

Having the chance for not one, but two simultaneous significant life changes intrigued me. Getting married and starting a new job at the same time was, in essence, two for the price of one.

But by doing one, I had to let go of a good thing.

Sometimes it takes years, or decades, to get back what we let go.

On Feb. 8, mine returns as I come back “home” again in Indiana as sports editor of The Commercial Review.

Editor Ray Cooney wrote a column in November stating that for the better part of 19 years the paper has had only two sports editors — the two of us.

So while I was off starting my a new chapter, The CR was going to have to do the same in finding someone to fill my void.

In Ray’s same column, he said he didn’t want to rush into hiring my replacement.

Thank goodness he didn’t.

I left in October for a handful of reasons, one of which being the ability to spread my journalistic wings and cover general news beats in addition to sports.

Two months into the new venture, which I dived into feet first with excitement and enthusiasm, my general news duties eclipsed my sports duties.

I preferred it the other way around.

Jake and Teresa Dowling and their stable of correspondents at The Evening Leader do a tremendous job covering St. Marys and surrounding area. Much like anyone at a small, community-oriented newspaper, they are an asset to their respective communities.

I am thankful for getting the opportunity to work with them, and am remorseful for leaving so quickly.

But sports have always been my passion, and since leaving The CR on Halloween I realized it’s all I ever wanted to do.

So on Feb. 8 — my favorite day on the sports calendar because Jay County hosts both wrestling regional and girls swim sectional — I’ll be back "home" again in Indiana where I belong and the place that was difficult to leave to begin with.

Hindsight, remember, is 20/20.

And I’m back in 2020.

See you soon.