WWN welcomes new reporter

The Western Wayne News is pleased to welcome Lorin Williams to the team as our newest reporter.

Lorin brings with him a history of community involvement, an educational background in journalism, and his passion for the power of writing and storytelling. We’re excited to have his talents at WWN for the benefit of our readers and hope you’ll welcome him as you see him out and about covering community news.

Below, Lorin shares his own reflections on what this new adventure means for him.

—Chris Hardie, Publisher

Richmond native’s leap of faith delivers

By Lorin Williams

I’ve always played it safe. 

I arrive early or on time for everything. I pack days in advance for trips that were meticulously planned months prior. I follow the speed limit, always get water when I ask for it at Chipotle and rarely sneak food into the movies.

So, when I didn’t move to NYC to become a VH1 commentator after college, I played it safe and got a job locally, keeping my writer dreams in my back pocket. I chased my idea of success across online job boards and remote internships, while paying the bills. 

Four years soon turned into 16, and despite not wanting for anything, that safe place became a crutch; a hazard to growth. While work made life comfortable, it wasn’t bringing me joy. And once I tasted that joy at a TV festival in Austin, I needed it full time.

A match lit in junior high as a Pal-Item intern, and later on my high school yearbook staff, rekindled as a fire. And the only cure was to escape my sanctuary. To play it unsafe. 

Last June, I leapt from the watchtower of comfort and fell through the air of the unknown. A part-time parachute kept me afloat as opportunity after opportunity missed my grasp. I began to worry, “Is it too late for me?” and “Did I make a mistake?” Only when I realized starting over wasn’t a bad thing did I finally land on solid ground. 

There’s nothing wrong with playing it safe. But knowing when to diverge from the beaten path is the key to playing it smart. And it has definitely paid off. 

I still play by the rules. I’ve just decided to play by mine.