In June 1998, just a few weeks after graduating from Saint Joseph’s University, I began my full-time job as an associate editor with Main Line Today. If someone had told me then that I’d one day be reflecting on a 20-year career with my sole employer—from a new home in the English countryside, no less—my response wouldn’t have been fit for print.
And yet, how fortunate I’ve been to have a job where I’ve grown exponentially—one that’s been both challenging and fulfilling. If someone had told me then what I know now, I would’ve been ecstatic to hear what the future had in store for me.
I remember clearly those early years at Main Line Today. The magazine was just two years old when I came aboard, and every time I called someone (back when the telephone was the primary form of communication) the person would say, “You’re calling from Main Line Times—the newspaper?”
To which I’d reply, time and again, “No, Main Line Today, a monthly magazine covering the Main Line and western suburbs.”
Then there were the countless times I was called upon to clarify exactly what towns make up the Main Line—or our version of it.
But as those early years flew by, I found myself having to explain MLT and its place in the community less and less frequently. With each issue, our reach and reputation grew. People liked what they were reading—they were getting it. The satisfaction of putting another issue to bed never got old. Every month, I’d be reminded once again what an incredibly unique and special place our region is. It’s a community filled with generous, successful, talented, interesting people—many who’ve allowed me to tell their stories. It’s never really felt like a job to write about so many exceptional individuals. It’s been a privilege.
And so it’s oddly bittersweet that I’m saying goodbye to Main Line Today on such a milestone anniversary. A promotion for my husband afforded my family the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to embark on a two-year ex-pat adventure in the U.K. We’re now living outside London in an area that reminds me a lot of the Main Line. There’s a bustling downtown, great schools, and quick rail service into the city.
Now that my relationship with Main Line Today has transitioned from editor and writer to loyal reader across the pond, my hope is that a certain measure of familiarity will help to ease the homesickness. I am so looking forward to seeing what the next 20 years bring for a magazine that I’ve been so proud to be a part of for so long.
