Handle the Rest for Me.

Brown’s Island

I…I just did it.

After taking over a year hiatus—the worst mistake of my goddamn life—from news reporting, I’ve returned. One day, while scrolling through my LinkedIn feed, I noticed a job posting from the Richmond Free Press, which a Black-owned news outlet reporting on the Black and minority communities and that’s been around more than I can remember. They were hiring for a full-time news reporter.

What? WHAT? This can’t be true.

I didn’t even want to apply at the job—at first. One, I was afraid they wouldn’t recognize me as a minority woman in journalism who’s able to tell stories of the community. Two, I’m a graduate student, so I thought they wouldn’t be able to respect my time with school. Three, it was a reporter position, I didn’t expect huge salary or a stable work environment. But, I said, “f**k it.”

I applied anyway.

Pretty soon, after turning in my application, I was able to score an interview with the editor. I didn’t think anything of that interview, but I remember just telling myself, ‘Let God handle the rest for you.’

For the first time in a while…I didn’t question anything. Everything took a week for them to make a decision, just like that. I was given the green light to continue doing what I love full-time.

Am I ghosting TPE again? Hell no.

Of course, more fashion and back-to-school content is underway, but I feel like I would post one to two blog posts each weekend? I think that should be enough for my readers to look forward to.

After all, I’m going to school and working full-time—as well as, working on this blog, so obviously it’s a huge stress load for me to take on. But, I wouldn’t be doing all these things if I truly couldn’t handle them. I’m more likely to run into a writer’s block or become burned out easily, but I do my own personal journals outside my work, including seeing a therapist every so often. I guess, it’s all changing my mindset and remembering why I am doing what I love doing everyday?

I’m not religious, however, I truly believe someone (I don’t know who) is watching over me because events like this would have never fell on my lap at the right time and place.

I’m excited to see what comes next.

Thank you.

— Paula J.P.