GROFF MEDIA 2024© TRUTH ENDURES IMDBPRO
Presented by benandsteve.com By: Benjamin Groff II©
3–5 minutes
A Journey Through Words: For Everyone Who Has Liked My Stories Over Time!
Each day, I search the depths of memory for details that can shape a story. Sometimes, I draw inspiration from current events or pressing concerns that resonate with my readers. Usually, the stories I share come from personal experiences; they are events I lived through firsthand or about those close to me. Or, I was involved enough with a concern to know the details intimately.
As a child, I had a speech defect. It kept me from speaking up in crowds, around strangers, or in public settings. What seemed like a limitation at the time was a gift—it taught me to listen. I became an observer, absorbing conversations, secrets, and moments others have overlooked. I often teased my older relatives that I held onto some of the family’s best-kept secrets. Over time, those secrets became stories—carefully crafted to preserve history while protecting the people behind them. It also helped me to learn how to be invisible, in a sense. When you stay still and always stay quiet, people overlook the kid in the corner. Conversations happen, and they let their guard down. That was a gift of sorts I brought in my adult life.
There’s a line I often use when people ask what I’ve done in life. I tell them, half-jokingly:
“I’ve done damn near everything.”
And it’s true.
I started working on our farm at eight, feeding horses, cleaning barns, and doing chores. Later, I rode fences, helped my dad with his duties as a ranger, and ran errands. As a teenager, I worked at the camp he oversaw, mowing lawns and clearing brush. Once I got my driver’s license, I started hauling hay and peanuts with three friends. It was some of the most challenging work I’ve ever done.
I became a police officer and served in that role until retirement, after which I transitioned into radio broadcasting. I anchored newscasts for a five-state radio network before moving to a larger market as a news director. Eventually, I returned to law enforcement, working for the Department of Corrections, where I tracked down escaped prisoners. Tracking sometimes required undercover jobs—working at bakeries, hardware stores, magazine suppliers, or grocery stores—blending into communities to locate fugitives. I blend into the scenes, always becoming invisible, just as I did when I was younger. I was always successful, though I often found it hard to leave the undercover roles behind. The people I had met always became colleagues.
After the September 11th attacks, my spouse’s employer offered a transfer from Kansas to Phoenix, Arizona. The decision was easy. I left law enforcement behind. I found work with Ford-Volvo of North America. I became a vehicle test driver at the Arizona Proving Grounds. I assisted the Ford assembly group in the winter. In the summer, I tested the endurance of Volvo cars and SUVs in the Arizona heat.
In 2008, medical issues forced me to stop driving. That’s when I turned to writing—first with news articles and then by building news sites for small communities. The site you’re reading now was born from that transition. I created this space when I realized traditional employment was no longer a choice.
When I started using WordPress, it differed from the platforms I had worked with. I learned through trial and error, studying the work of others, adapting, and refining my skills. Over time, I explored your sites. I saw your creativity, dedication, and unique voices. I better understood how to navigate and thrive in this space.
I’ve always believed that you get back what you put into something. That’s why I make it a point to read the work of others—it broadens my perspective beyond my world. And for that, I’m grateful.
To all our followers, subscribers, and readers—thank you. Yesterday, I received a message from WordPress announcing that our site has reached **500 likes!** That’s an incredible milestone, especially since I don’t commercially promote these stories or actively drive traffic to them. This achievement is entirely because of your support, shares, and encouragement.
I truly appreciate every one of you for being part of this journey. It seems trivial to some. But, for someone who overcame a speech defect, getting 500 likes is a big deal. Thank you, indeed!
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