By Emily Stonehouse

Not a single journalist I know is in the job based on the pay. It’s a long-running joke we have amongst writers. That we don’t choose the career for money. It’s a passion project, these words from the heart.

But as I sat and wrote these words this past week, I realized that I’m not alone in this endeavour. This week, I interviewed a musician who made his mark on a national stage, an entrepreneur who broke away from the status quo to follow their own path.

I spoke with school board trustees who are putting the future of our children ahead of themselves, politicians who know they’re barely cracking minimum wage to live with their lives under a microscope.

None of us are in it for the money. It’s a passion project, a point of pride.

Maybe that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are ushered forward through capitalism. Every day requires a slog of consistency around meal times and bills paid and rents due.

But starting something from the heart takes bravery.

We’ve all seen those movies where there is a sad figure clad in black and white, checking into their tiny work cubicle at 9 a.m., eating a bland sandwich at their desk, clocking out at 5 p.m.

And then doing it all over again. And again. And again. And again.

There are many highs and lows to our communities. The winters are long and the cell reception is poor and somehow all of our sidewalks are always under construction.

But you won’t see those bland black and white characters around here anytime soon.

This is a community of vibrancy and colour. It’s live music and maple coffees and doers and dreamers who don’t take no for an answer.

As I watch the municipal election continue to take shape, while I’d be the first to hold any one of them accountable for their actions and priorities, I hope it goes without saying that putting your name in a hat for a position in municipal government is one of the biggest passion projects going.

Very poor pay, very high expectations. And I’ve been impressed, thus far, with the charisma and passion I’ve seen at the all-candidates meetings. While I freely put my words out into the community, standing in front of a room of 250 eager audience members is not my idea of a good time.

But so far, no one has looked particularly nervous. No one has stumbled, no one has panicked. While they may look out at hundreds of eager eyes, all I see is over 50 candidates with a flame ignited. A hope that they can make some sort of difference, a belief that their community matters.

So, here is to the doers and the dreamers. The ones who crack the molds of black and white and elbow their way to a world that works for others. I know not everyone’s intentions are good, but in a world where we often feel more comfortable in the shadows, it’s good to acknowledge the light.

Because we’re not in it for the money. And we need these people, who refuse to take no for an answer.