SHOUT's editorial section has always had its fans and haters. Most of the sub-editors and editors whose task it has been to write these words would get rid of the editorial in a minute if they could. But the readers have always had good things to say about it, so we kept it.

I've always thought my job here at SHOUT was to be a sponge. Every Saturday, during our contributor meetings, I felt the need to not only hear them, but also absorb their vibe and ensure that was reflected in SHOUT. Since announcing the end of SHOUT, we have been inundated with messages of love and support. While we've always had an inkling that our readers like us, the confirmation that came with the emails and social media comments made us feel like we have done an okay job.

The editorial is our way of communicating with the readers directly – a channel to express our stances on the topics we choose to talk about in this magazine. On this last issue of SHOUT, all that's left to say is thank you, and goodbye.