Hope, purpose, passion, performance

We all learn life lessons as we go along. None of us were born knowing everything we needed to know to get us through our time here on earth. We all learn in di erent ways, some by watching, some by listening, and some by doing or experiencing. I have been blessed by so many people in this world who have taught me so many life lessons, and I am grateful for each person and every lesson learned.

May your journey be lled with people who inspire you, teach you, and keep you on a path of continuous learning.

One of the rst life lessons I would like to share is about hope.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Hope for me is the genesis of inspiration and motivation. When we have hope, we have power. Hope is certainly not a strategy, but hope is a foundation on which we build our goals and dreams. “ e doors of hope swing widest on the hinges of encouragement” - Zig Ziglar. When we feel hopeful, encouraged, and motivated, that leads to a better understanding of our purpose. ere are still many who share with me that they really do not know what their purpose is, as they say they haven’t found it yet. I struggled with this for a long time too, and some days I still wrestle with it, wondering if I am doing what the good Lord has placed me on this earth to do. For me, I have come to appreciate that we were put here to serve others with the gifts that we have been given. I love this quote by Nelson DeMille, “ e problem with doing nothing is that you never know when you

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com are done.”

We were not put here to do nothing, and that very thought should inspire our purpose daily, fueling our passion to live and serve. Hope drive’s purpose, and purpose fuels passion. When our hearts and minds are lled with hope, it helps us to identify our purpose, and when that happens, the passion inside of us comes to life. Nelson Mandela put it perfectly when he said, “ ere is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” It has been debated that nding passion can lead to discovering purpose instead of purpose leading to passion, whatever way it works, let hope be the spark of both purpose and passion.

When the spark of hope ignites the purpose and passion within us,

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ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100)

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From The Editor

The Douglas County School District recently settled a yearlong battle with former superintendent Corey Wise. e district agreed to pay more than $800,000 to settle the legal dispute Wise led shortly after being red without cause in early 2022.

I am not going to rehash how and why he was red. I think those discussions have been extensive. However, I will talk about a statement Wise made in concluding the battle. Wise told reporters he hoped the settlement would push more school districts and boards to stop putting politics ahead of students.

I doubt if the message he is pushing can even be considered in today’s political world. I would bet I’m not alone in thinking that political views have invaded every aspect of our lives — the toxic problem is not