Newspapers explore many of the topics that affect your senses.

The stories we report may get your blood rushing, wrinkle your brow, inspire you to call a friend about an event or simply entice you to relax and read about your favorite team that pulled out a victory that was destined to be a loss.

We cover the hard stuff. As curious watchdogs who investigate and report the truth, we are sometimes taken down any number of roads that may not be very popular. This may cause you angst.

We try hard to pierce through the phony or non-responsive answers provided by some to get truthful responses to difficult topics. We may not always be able to provide you with peace of mind, but we can provide you with a better sense of understanding.

Sometimes we succeed — other times we do not — but we do our best to guide you through these challenging times.

The softer side of our job allows us to report uplifting stories such as those about folks in your community that give back in a heartfelt way — because topics like this also matter. Life is full of emotion, and newspapers cover the journey.

This is one of the attributes that makes us unique, vital and essential to any community.

We see our society in all shades and colors … the misery, the joy and the awe, and we do the best we can to accurately cover the good, the not so good and the sometimes ugly. This richness of senses reflects the celebrations, sorrows and everything in between that occurs in our communities, our state and our world, every day.

Reading the newspaper may feel a bit like riding a roller coaster — the pages are laden with ups and downs and twists and turns that evoke various emotions. I’m willing to bet, however, that on any given day or week, we will get you to laugh or smile. Each turn of the page can be a surprise with plot changes and an ending you didn’t expect.

This week marks National Newspaper Week — a time to celebrate your favorite local read that provides you with important news about the world, the country and your community.

Newspapers are alive and well and ready to charge forward. All media are in transition and we, too, are exploring new avenues to ensure we thrive in the coming years.

Please be sure to thank a reporter, a sales rep, an accountant, delivery person or a pressman for the service they provide to your community. We hope you continue to enjoy this ride we provide that keeps you informed and emotionally buoyant.

Thank you for being our customer.

This editorial was written by Mark Cohen, president of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, and fully endorsed by the Mirror.