By Vernon A. Williams
This is the holiday, so who needs politics or all the ills of the world to weigh them down? This is a time for reflection and introspection. No matter how much you have or haven’t accomplished in life, you must constantly ponder the challenge, “What’s next?”
After prayer, deliberation, and exhaustive procrastination, I have finally come up with at least one of those new communications frontiers that I want to travel at this point – it is developing and maintaining a website – specifically, www.vernonawilliams.com.
Now I’m not trying to sell anything with this concept – other than the proposition that sharing ideas, thoughts and perspectives is healthy. And while I clearly intend to get the conversation started, I hope it winds up being just that – an exchange of life expressions!
God is great. He endows everyone with at least one gift. While not a big fan of opera, I marvel at notes they hit and hold. I know nothing about ballet, but appreciate the visual magnificence of body movement art. My brother Alonzo had a skill for all things mechanical; could take an engine apart and put it back together blindfolded. As a child, I learned to change my oil, batteries and a flat. Everything else goes to Firestone.
Some people cook so well that they get annoyed by people asking why they don’t open a restaurant. If I was chef at my own eatery, the menu would be limited to breakfast, hamburgers, hotdogs, anything out of a can or microwaveable, along with an assortment of “box” pastries. That’s it for my culinary expertise. My point is, the wonderful tapestry of life designs by our Creator allots different talents to different people.
Since the time I took my brother Willie’s $20 bill left on a cocktail table, tore it in half, picked up a pencil and began scribbling on both sides, I was destined to be a communicator. They tell me I was speaking in sentences well before my first birthday and since then, family and friends alike have been searching for the mute button.
In full disclosure, with the exception of brother, Bernard, verbosity is a genetic trait in the Williams clan. When brothers and sisters engage in the lively art of conversation at family gatherings – I suddenly become the quiet one. Since I am also the youngest of 10 children, it is an assignment that I fully accept while waiting patiently for a chance to blurt out a thought when one of them accidentally puts a period at the end of a sentence. The good news – my opinionated siblings are articulate and their conversation provocative.
Communication is my passion. I made up comic strips in second grade, wrote to and received a letter from John F. Kennedy in third grade and had my first original play produced in Mrs. Scott’s fourth grade class. Don’t even talk about talking. It was that one thing on my report card that teachers always whispered to my mother; you know, “Vernon is a great student. If he could just learn to talk a little less in class…” My mother typically responded, when- ever you figure it out, please share so I can try it at home.
I love communication. So, after writing for a daily newspaper and two Black weeklies, hosting an AM talk show and being station manager for an FM station, publishing and being a correspondent for magazines, running an advertising and public relations company, working in communications and marketing, writing three books and 10 plays, I asked myself: “Self. What’s next in this communication obsession of yours?” A blog? Podcast? Website?” My answer was, “Yes!” Thus, www.vernonawilliams.com.
So, who am I to launch a website? Well, I am a father, son, brother, husband, friend, colleague, teacher, student, peacemaker, revolutionary, die-hard fan of Roosevelt, I.U., the Bears, the Bulls, the White Sox, the Yankees, and the Pacers, a soul and gospel enthusiast, a blood-washed believer, and a communicator – not necessarily in that order.
Most importantly, through the grace of God, I am still evolving, so keep checking out my fresh new website for updates on plans yet unseen that the Lord has on my life. Wherever I go with it, I will try to bless others in the process as the Lord orders my steps.
So, for all of you who came late to the party in terms of reading my column CIRCLE CITY CONNECTIONS in the Chicago-Gary Crusader newspapers, the site will include posts of the most current column for each week and links to some of the still relevant past columns.
At the new website, I want to post a blog that will feature some of my thoughts beyond the column and the wisdom of others – past and present, celebrities and everyday people.
On the podcast, I will feature recordings of memorable events, interviews, and occasional commentators beyond writings. In the photo gallery, I want to recapture events, and moments in time worth marking. And I want to take folks down memory lane.
For constantly informative, inspirational, and engaging perspectives, people, places and things, regularly check us out at www.vernonawilliams.com.
CIRCLE CITY CONNECTION by Vernon A. Williams is a series of essays on myriad topics that include social issues, human interest, entertainment and profiles of difference-makers who are forging change in a constantly evolving society. Williams is a 40-year veteran journalist based in Indianapolis, IN – commonly referred to as The Circle City. Send comments or questions to: [email protected].
