Keep your head up, keep your heart strong
Our connections with one another matter more than ever.
Emma was making her way back to Michigan from NYC—flying Delta, navigating a number of weather- and mechanical-related flight delays—when news of a plane crashing and flipping over at Toronto’s airport popped up on my phone screen. Logically, I knew she wasn’t on that flight. Still, my worrying heart thumped in my chest as I tapped on the news article to learn more.
A day or so later, I came across another article in which a couple of passengers shared their firsthand experience of enduring this frightening plane landing. Pete Carlson was one of those passengers and his words stuck with me, maybe because it touched on the ways humans can and do come together in times of crisis. It reminded me, once again, how important community is, even (especially) in the most dire of circumstances.
“The most powerful part of today was there was just people, no countries, no nothing. It was just people together, helping each other.” —Pete Carlson, a paramedic who was traveling to a conference in Toronto on the Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis that ended upside down Feb. 17 at the airport in Toronto.
I recently received some interesting and kind of big news at work. I happened to be driving from Grand Rapids to Lansing when I was on this call and hearing about this new team development.
The news wasn’t negative, but it was unexpected and brings with it both knowns (certain positions shuffling around) and unknowns (a brand-new position being added, with a soon-but-TBD posting date). I had some initial thoughts and questions, but mostly I was quiet as I took it all in.
As I’ve come to know well about myself, I need time to process change. A little over a week later, I’m still processing and even surprising myself a little with how my feelings keep changing about what I learned. This tells me more time is needed to process.
As I mentioned here last week, I’m doing more quiet contemplation in all areas of my life. I’m thinking this is a good thing right about now, too. Not only with my own personal stuff, but with all that is going on in our country right now. And is there ever a lot to process. Every day there’s something new coming at us.
I’m not going to take us down a long path of political conversation. But I’m not not going to venture into these woods a bit. I think I already have, simply by alluding to the onslaught of changes happening under the new administration. At this point, given the dizzying amount of events unfolding and their far-reaching and devastating impacts, and particularly as a trained journalist and someone who now works in state government and within the outdoor recreation industry, I find myself thinking of little else as I sit down to write to you all today.
But I am processing, still. And thinking about what I’d really want to say here. I’m strong in my opinions and my convictions—those closest to me know where I stand on things—but I also, as always when it comes to my writing and sharing here, want to think through what it is I do want to say exactly.
I’m not afraid of stating how I feel and standing up for what I believe. But I also am not one to make “hot takes.” I find myself sitting, sitting, sitting with all of this, my heart heavy, my mind swirling with thoughts, my energy to do anything oscillating between being extremely low (hello, despair and incredulousness) and quite high (“Let’s f-ing go and collectively do something!”)
This is why I walk and run and stretch my body. Why I read and write and do what I can to educate myself on what’s happening—and understand how I can do my part and get involved. Why I embrace and respect nature. Why I hug my people and kiss my dogs’ soft ears any chance I get. Why I seek out and help create meaningful, kind and helpful conversations and connections with others.
And laugh. Must keep finding ways to smile and laugh. And create. We all have so much to offer this world and I want this for all of us, to keep living and being and connecting in loving and kind and creative ways.
I’m finding solace in seeing things like this:
I can feel it in my legs, the 4 miles I ran this morning. It’s a welcome feeling, reminding me that I am alive—that good kind of sore.
There’s something about sitting here, reaching out to all of you with my words, looking out the coffee shop window to see patches of blue sky in late February, that is all the sweeter because I did the hard work earlier. I showed up. I got up this morning. (And my warm bed felt especially warm this morning.)
It’s a truth in life, too. Showing up matters. Even during uncomfortableness, uncertainty, confusion and heartache, even when I question and wonder how things are going to straighten out and how we’re all as members of the same big community, going to get through this, I choose to believe we will.
I’m just going to keep showing up, with my own not-always-fully-processed words, and will continue to seek and choose connection and love and kindness over any alternative.
In the final stretch of my run, as my feet dodged a few icy potholes on a dirt road not far from my parked car, a song I hadn’t heard in awhile began on my playlist.
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong
Keep your mind set
Keep your heart strong
I’m proud of this article I recently wrote for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and thought it would be a good way to end today’s newsletter. This family’s story—they have a 48-year tradition of cabin-camping at Wilderness State Park in northern lower Michigan, near the Mackinac Bridge—is a beautiful example of the power of nature and our sacred public outdoor spaces.
🏕️ An enduring cabin-camping tradition at Wilderness State Park
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What is helping you keep your heart strong right now?
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Let’s keep connecting with one another. Let’s keep showing up.
Until next time,
Heather
Seems like many of us are processing in the same way. I see a lot of posts about deleting social media, returning to in person community, and taking time to rethink our goals and priorities. (🙋♀️)
Mother Nature and body movement do wonders for calm and clarity don’t they? 💛
Paradise comes to mind.😎🥰