20 years ago today I walked into the lobby of the @PittsburghPG and began my first day as a professional journalist.

There's a lot you can (and should) say about where the media falls short, and where we can improve. Here, I want to talk about my gratitude to journalism.

I'm most grateful for my wife @bennettphoto, a gifted photographer, and the three kids under our roof. Julie and I first met on different assignments for different newspapers.

Professionally: I've met thousands of people from all walks of life, who have generously shared their stories, their struggles and their insights with me and those who read my work. I think (or I certainly hope) that's made me a more empathetic person.

I've worked with dozens if not hundreds of people at five newspapers (and rival outlets) over the last two decades. They were and are some of the most dedicated people you'll meet, people who take pride in their work and believe in their mission, and have made me raise my game.

Journalism faces challenges because journalism has always faced challenges: no business model lasts longer than a generation. But I'm hopeful for the future, in no small part because the young folks who've entered this field in the last 5 years are doing work beyond their years.

If any journalism students or newly-minted journalists are reading this: Thank you. This field can be frustrating and stressful. You will face both active and passive discouragement, often from colleagues who should know better. But please: stick with it as long as you can.

You tell stories older folks like me miss. You tell stories in a way folks like me struggle with. Your perspectives and approaches keep our work relevant and connected to our audiences.

And beyond that, being a journalist is an incredible privilege: a job where, at its best, you connect with other people and can learn something new every single day, and share what you know to make things better. It's the kind of work you will be grateful to do. /Fin