It seems like only yesterday Twila and I were meeting with the original parents of SOKY Happenings, Carrie and David Francis, about us adopting the magazine so they could move out West someplace to be near their family. In reality it has been 10 years this month since we published “our” first issue of SOKY Happenings… March 2012… which stunned me when I saw it pop up on our calendar.
I once wrote a humorous newspaper column… OK, I thought it was humorous… about how time passes more quickly as you get older. Now, to be honest, I have always believed time is constant. After all, how many variables can a second have? But my old buddy, Albert, believed something else. Here’s what he had to say about it.
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity states that time and space are not as constant as everyday life would suggest. He suggested that the only true constant, the speed of light, meant that time can run faster or slower depending on how high you are and how fast you are travelling.
Personally, I think Albert was really HIGH when he stated this and I don’t believe for a second, pun intended, that time can change. Well, maybe in leap year after a drink or two… but other than that, time does not change… in my highly-edjamacated opinion. Just ask whichever teacher taught that at Bowling Green High in a class in which I’m sure he was convinced I was paying more attention to the girl next to me than his lecture.
Anyway, I digress. I’m not sure what Twila and I thought when we adopted SOKY back in 2012. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Goodness knows we both love writing, photography and graphic design and have truly enjoyed all the wonderful artists we have met… not to mention all the other great folks – from writers to sponsors and readers to complainers. For the first several years it was a great ride. Then came COVID.
I don’t know how true it is, but research seems to show that over one-third of small businesses closed due to COVID. When I hear a statistic like that it is terrifying. All those families affected. Their futures changed forever. It makes me so proud that SOKY Happenings did not close. We did not even miss an issue.
Let me say that again… SOKY HAPPENINGS DID NOT MISS AN ISSUE during the pandemic. Actually, knock on wood, we have not missed an issue for any reason in the 10 years Twila and I have been publishing SOKY. That might not seem like a big deal to you, but you have to understand, SOKY is a true labor of love. There is not a big, corporate staff putting SOKY together each month.
SOKY is locally owned and operated. There are just five of us working hard to try and keep a locally-owned and community-focused information and entertainment media product in business. Our major goal is to provide small businesses and nonprofits a cost-efficient way to get their message out while providing the people of South Central Kentucky a source of entertaining and enlightening information about our great community. And, based on how quickly the magazines disappear each month, we must be doing something right.
So, does time really pass more quickly when you are having fun? Perhaps my high school teacher and my personal opinions are wrong. Maybe time does vary. Whether it does or it doesn’t… the past 10 years have been a blast and a blessing, and I thank all of you for being on the trip with us. Twila and I pray for another even better 10 years!
