There was a period of my newspaper career that I covered Wheeling city government. Every morning, I would leave the news building, step out into the alley known as 15th Street Place, and walk east toward the City-County Building on Chapline Street.

Once I reached the building, I would begin making my way through the various offices to search out the day’s news stories. During the years of this routine, I saw a serious number of elected council members come and go. I called more than a half dozen officials by their title as mayor.

I knocked on the office doors of at least four city managers in their cluttered third floor offices. I gave proper acknowledgement to nearly as many, if not more, police chiefs and fire officials. Under two long-term city clerks, I learned a great deal about the workings of city government. The late Paul Boos, who served as city solicitor, walked me through the complicated process of a charter review, something that earned me awards for reporting.

I quickly learned, over the years, that not everyone appreciated or welcomed a nosy reporter into their space. There were times the doors were closed to my questions. Other times, I would be tipped off to a brewing controversial issue. It was a balancing act of give and take. I made friends and probably a few enemies, too.

What I learned most was that even if I didn’t like someone or maybe they didn’t care for me, it was mutual respect that allowed us to do our jobs. Yes, I had to bite my tongue more times than I can count.

I put up with having to hear an awful joke or two. I tried not to flinch when a certain official felt it was OK to call me “Honey.” I guess my newspaper ID badge was not enough for the official to remember my name.

The point I’d like to make with all this is that I didn’t have to like all the people I dealt with, however I did have to respect the positions for which they had been elected or hired.

There are a lot of people who appear to despise the man a majority of Americans just elected to be our next president. And while our freedoms allow us to express our feelings one way or another, I can tell you that showing respect for the position — no matter your feelings for the person — will go a long way toward handling the outcome of the election.

If I can do it for 40 years, I hope you can do it for the next four.

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.