In October of 1999, I wrote the first Word from Williams Road. Now, over 23 years
later, I write the last.
That first column told of a four-year-old girl who was learning to say the Lord's Prayer. She was doing well until she got to, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some e-mail."
While much of the email I get is spam or sales pitches, it is nice to get a personal note in my inbox. We like knowing that somebody, somewhere is thinking about us. The message may not be much. Often, it's just something forwarded from someone else. But it does mean that somebody wanted to share something with us. That makes us feel valued.
For the past two decades, I’ve shared many things with you. I value you and the opportunity to share a few things with you. I appreciate that you have shared your time to read my ramblings. I close this endeavor in the hopes that some Word from Williams Road may have been helpful to you. As the end of that first column said, “It’s intended to provide a positive note of encouragement to lift your spirits.” I hope that it has.
The wise man Solomon wrote long ago, “Of making many books there is no end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). If only Solomon could see us now. Berrett-Koehler Publishers reports that about three million new books were published last year in the U.S. alone. Add to that the over eight million blog posts every day worldwide and it’s obvious that a lot of words are being spilled. The 692 weekly Word from Williams Road columns have been a tiny drop in a very large ocean.
While there is no end to the words being published, it is time as I retire, for this Word to end. Thank you for being a reader. Thank you for the occasional positive response. May God bless you.
As I write this final word, perhaps the best conclusion is that of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:13:
Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
May it ever be true of you and me that we do just that.