Could we start again, please?

It has been quite a while since I’ve blogged on the Patch.

Replete with grammatical errors, confusing layout, and pithy stories, I vowed never to blog again.  Plus, I miss Pete Kennedy.

But, I’m a big fan of constructive criticism, proactive measures, empathy and understanding for others’ viewpoints.  So, in the spirit of it all, I’m proposing a re-boot for all the voices on Malvern Patch.

Days of yore and nostalgic waxings mean different things to different people.  For those of us who literally came from roots in Malvern, it is all we know.  For those of us who left and returned, it is a very special homecoming.  And, for those of us who never left, Malvern is the parent we have deeply loved and watch change. It is hard to watch things change no matter with age, progress, or decline.  But those who have spoken at length and with passion on the matter of the “new “ Malvern do so out of a childlike love for this town.

 For those new to Malvern, there is the promise of community, a progressive suburb where children can be raised, and exciting personal and professional opportunities.  For these individuals, Malvern is their first home—a place readied for them to settle in and start their lives.  And when these ‘newbies’ speak their truths about Malvern, is too is full of passion for all that they can see from their front porches.

 Beauty will always be in the eye of the beholder, but what needs to be reinforced here is the common denominator which unites all the voices on Patch.  We each have the right to agree to disagree on fiscal improvements, aesthetic architectural changes, and even what businesses should (and shouldn’t) be in Malvern.

 The common denominator is this: Malvern is home.  And no matter if you have been home for a long while, have returned home after a long journey, or are just coming home for the first time, each of our hearts sees something special about this place.

 New eyes see the murals, while my mind’s eye remembers kids painting the shop windows at Halloween.   Others may remember when they built the gazebo where a factory once stood.  I remember the old St. Pat’s with limited seating while new eyes see the gorgeous rose window in the expanded building.  I remember Schiedel’s and the deli counter, yet now I equally enjoy the Shorti hoagies at Wawa.  A walk to the Monument grounds or even through the cemetery always provided adventure and I’m sure it still does.

 So, let’s start again honoring this place in the world that we share.  A place called Malvern.  Our home.