By Sarah Cook

The Selma Times-Journal

Maybe it was the moss-covered trees, or maybe it was the small southern town charm. To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what led me to Selma, but I can say with certainty I am eager to begin my career here.

Growing up in a small historic town in Bucks County, Pa., I have always felt at home in towns that have more homes built before the days of iphones than the cookie-cutter style developments that just seem to multiply. There is something both captivating and mysterious about a town that possesses such rich history as Selma.

Before interviewing at The Selma Times-Journal, I had only read about Selma in school textbooks. Bloody Sunday, the Selma-to-Montgomery March and voting rights were just some of the images my mind conjured when I thought of Selma.

However, as I got in my beat-up Chevy and drove over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I found a new image beginning to form in my mind. I couldn’t help but see untapped potential in this sleepy southern town. Everyone I encountered gave me a warm welcoming smile too.

Being the bookworm that I am, the library was naturally the first place I visited when getting to know the town. I was a little bit shocked, but mostly pleasantly surprised, when the librarian immediately noticed I was new to the area and asked how she could help me. I was used to the anonymous identity I assumed at the library while in college, my face getting lost in the sea of worried students trying to cram for an exam they had in two hours.

Trying to understand what makes people tick has also always been a passion of mine, and I figured what better place to pursue this passion than a town where I’ve never been and know not a soul.

I can’t begin to express how excited I am to be here. I hope to be a positive attribute in this community and share a few smiles and gain a few friends along the way. After just working a few days, I feel as if I have already begun to develop a strong foundation here, which I’m sure will grow greatly with time.

So now it’s time to get my toes wet and my hands a little dirty. It’s time to get to know Selma.