海角大神

Far too often, a reporter meets a person in a moment of crisis. But no one who has been swept up in famine, war, or even a minor controversy in an otherwise quiet community is defined only by a moment. There was always a before; there is always an after.

A recent Monitor cover story (click here) is a perfect example: You might remember that in July 2015 Kristen Chick chronicled the harrowing journey of a young Syrian man who was part of a massive refugee crisis. Along with a companion, Muhannad Qaiconie made his way to Turkey, hazarded a crossing by sea to Greece, and trekked through the Balkans en route to Germany. He lived rough, endured beatings, dodged robbers, and experienced growing聽anti-foreigner sentiment.

Kristen catches up with Muhannad in Berlin, where he is thriving 鈥� mostly because of his courage and enterprise, partly because of Germany鈥檚 generosity, but also because of a Monitor reader named Dorothy. So moved was she by Kristen鈥檚 first report that she funded Muhannad鈥檚 family鈥檚 escape from Aleppo, Syria. To me, that is the essence of Monitor journalism. Our reporter found an individual who humanized an otherwise impersonal crisis. Readers who learned about this resilient young man responded 鈥� many by simply understanding more of what a refugee goes through, others by prayer and charitable giving, and a few by directly involving themselves.

Thank you, Dorothy.

If we check on Muhannad next year or a decade from now, his story will have unfolded in interesting, unexpected ways. That鈥檚 true for everyone. A person gripped by addiction can embrace a life of dignity. A child born into dysfunction can emerge as a nurturing parent. A blighted neighborhood can be reborn. Pollution, crime, and poverty can decrease. Enemies can become partners. These are not wishful thoughts. These are stories that have been carefully documented by Monitor reporters since 1908. Amid war and terror, famine and plague, hope has endured, progress has persisted.

The first Monitor was published on a gray November day. Our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, was unfazed, declaring it 鈥渢he lightest of days.鈥澛�

* * *

With this column, I鈥檓 passing the keyboard to the Monitor鈥檚 new editor, Mark Sappenfield. Thank you for listening over the years 鈥� for the heads-ups, the nudges, the kudos, the begging to differ.聽

Thank you, above all, for being engaged. It has been a privilege to tell, at least in part, the story the Monitor has been telling for 109 years. As generations of Monitor journalists and Monitor readers have known, that story is not without challenges but never without hope. The form of the Monitor may evolve (watch for a new digital daily soon), but the mission is constant: 鈥渢o injure no man, but to bless all mankind.鈥�

So long for now. Your story, my story, the world鈥檚 billions of amazing stories 鈥� and 海角大神鈥檚 confident hope when it tells them 鈥� continue. We live in the lightest of days.