A few weeks ago I was contacted by a woman in the community who asked me to write a story.

Delighted that my reaching out in the community trying to persuade people to contact me with ideas was working, I was even more excited to see that her request was for a type of article I was fortunate to write last year at my time in Anderson County.

Not only was I thrilled to get the opportunity to work with a certain organization again bringing an individual’s story to life, but I was also just as thrilled to be bringing the type of news so many of you have commented that you need and want in this community.

As I have said before, not all news is good news, and not all types of news will be accepted or understood even by the community. However, I speak for, I am sure, all journalists when I say that given the opportunity to write features focusing on the good and highlighting a community and individuals within that community is one of, if not the most, rewarding topics we can be given to write about.

My writing career started in magazines. Much different than a newspaper, as typically a magazine fills its pages with feature articles. These stories feature individuals or organizations doing amazing things or fighting for a cause they believe in.

This week, I got to combine them both and bring you a great story about a young man born and raised in Jessamine County who overcame his struggles and can stand taller now being able to tell his story. His hope, he said, is to help others in the town he calls home.

These kinds of stories excite me. These are the kinds of stories I started out my writing career with and I will make sure I write about until my hand can no longer hold a pen and my fingers refuse to type another key. Although I honestly doubt that will ever happen.

To enter here another quote I happened upon recently, “A certain darkness is needed to see the stars.” I believe that is true for all the paths we travel down in life. And this young man came through his darkness and wants to tell the world about the stars that he has reached, and I was truly honored given the opportunity to write his story.

As a veteran writer, I understand that not everything I write about will be good. Not every story will be well received. But I can promise that the more people who reach out and bring me good news, the more I can fill the paper with the kinds of stories that excite me as a writer.

I want nothing more than to write those features about the good in the community, but sometimes just need a little help from those of you reading this to find them.

Brittany Fuller is the community editor of The Jessamine Journal and Jessamine Life magazine. She can be reached at brittany.fuller@jessaminejournal.com.