I reckon too often, pride gets a bad rap.
Being proud can be seen as a negative, or even as being arrogant.
But in its purest — and most common — form, pride is the emotional product of a job well done.
Pride does not discriminate when it comes to who is carrying out the job in the well-done fashion, either — it can be yourself, those closest to you, people in your wider social circles or even those you have never met but with whom you share common ground.
It is with an overwhelming sense of pride that I sit down to write this column.
I am proud of how the team here at The News — and the wider McPherson Media Group — covered our region’s ongoing flood emergency.
With almost the entire editorial department displaced — either having to evacuate their own homes or welcome in said evacuees into pop-up newsrooms throughout town — the crew was able to produce engaging, rolling coverage in the form of our live blog and still get the physical paper out all week.
It was a herculean effort, and one that deserves due recognition.
I am also proud of the Greater Shepparton community — from officials in paid positions to volunteers and neighbours; everywhere you looked you saw people going above and beyond for each other, and that’s what makes regional towns and cities so great.
As I type, though, the heavens have loudly opened again above us.
It serves as a reminder that although this rain is not expected to cause significant river rises, the flood emergency may not yet be over (and the clean-up is only just beginning) or may return throughout what is likely to be a sodden spring and summer ahead of us.
But I know that if it does, I will again be proud of how our team at The News — and all of you in the community — handles it.
Because here in Greater Shepparton, we know how to carry out a job well done — and we’re darn proud of it.
Tyler Maher is the editor of The News.