From high school seniors serving as role models of integrity to selfless senior citizens transporting mobility-challenged peers, so many good stories are mine to tell.

When interviewing a fascinating person, my fingers often twitch in anticipation of sharing their story with the world. And lucky me: I have the opportunity to highlight not only awesome people, but also outstanding products, programs, businesses and nonprofits.

Is it any wonder that I LOVE my job?

I am ever cognizant of the trust clients place in me to tell their powerful stories in words that are compelling, engaging and memorable. For Hospice of the North Coast, I created “Stories from the Heart,” featuring concise profiles on its people, from patient care volunteers to the bereaved, to showcase this community-based nonprofit’s passion for compassionate care.

I’ve told the poignant story of a young father of a toddler who, before he died, wrote cards signed “Love, Dad” to commemorate his daughter’s future milestones when he was gone. I shared the grief-transformed-into-hope of a man who, after losing his teenage son to gang violence, became a tireless activist for peace.

Through my work from 1988 through the present, I’ve learned so much about my clients, the people I profile and – not least of all – myself.

HNC Story from the Heart Forty Years