I started reading Guardian Weekly 40 years ago when I went to work in southern Africa. My director would perform a solitary evening ritual of opening both a cool beer and a recent Guardian to end each day.
I fell in love with the newspaper and that sunset moment.
The reporting and analysis gave me a foundation to understand the work I was doing and to accept the reality of a changing world. I appreciated the breadth of coverage and the balance of social, technical and political reporting, all within a progressive set of values. The Guardian became part of my lifestyle as well as a source of knowledge.
As I worked in different parts of the world, the Weekly was my constant companion. Today, back in Canada, I continue to rely on the paper and find solace in its tactile presence. While I use the internet I still perform the daily ritual of holding the paper while I devour its contents, front to back.
The Weekly has also become a reliable indicator of finding and keeping friends. When I discover that a new acquaintance is an avid Guardian reader, I know it will mean many hours of provocative but enlightening discussion.
Like much of social media today, the Guardian provides me both solitary and social pleasure, but with an intelligence and passion that is unique.
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