Sometimes seeing ourselves through someone else’s eyes can be a valuable exercise. Occasionally, we get a fleeting opportunity to do just that. Like when we walk past a glass window and unexpectedly catch our reflection, our inner critic caught off-guard, and we see ourselves as others do on first impression - for better or for worse.

For small towns, that lens of first impression is often formed online. We are fortunate to have a striking and effective web presence. Both the Town of Westfield (www.townofwestfield.org) and Village of Westfield (www.villageofwestfield.org) have helpful, user-friendly and attractive websites. Several regional organizations and private business websites showcase the area well.

For first impressions, though, the Westfield Development Corporation’s website (www.westfieldny.com) is unparalleled