Please Take Care of You
Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner Steady
'Life is full of its pain. But we must find those moments of joy, of connectedness, of togetherness, of beauty.' (photo: Christopher Hopefitch)
Perhaps it is presumptuous, but we like to imagine that when we send out our notes to all of you, they arrive in your inboxes like messages from a friend.
Sure, the subject matters we discuss are often weighty — the state of world affairs, the dangers of our current political climate, and other news items that are dominating the headlines. But we strive for a tone that is not too formal or strident. We may confront serious topics, but we try not to take ourselves too seriously.
The goal is to hopefully stay true to the title of this publication. We see “steady” as meaning that we should consider context, seek balance, and understand that our world, and we ourselves, are complicated.
Our world is chaotic, depressing in many ways, a place that has no shortage of launch pads for despair, anxiety, and sadness.
The message we want to share today, however, is a bit different. In a feedback loop of an unrelenting news cycle that includes war, natural disasters, and the deep threat to our democratic norms and values, it is sometimes difficult to feel like there is any place we can pull over the metaphorical car that is driving the thoughts of our mind.
But just as with the best road trips, if we are too focused on the destination, we may miss the beauty of the journey. So this Sunday we hope to inspire you to stop for a moment to look around. Hopefully you are in a place where you can see some of the beauty and joy of life and our world.
We find it in people helping each other in times of need.
We find it in time spent with loved ones and friends.
We find it in going for a walk, tending a garden, reading a book, or just staring out the window.
We hear it in a favorite piece of music.
We smell it from something baking in the oven.
We feel it with the wind on our face.
So that is our message this Sunday. We hope you can take a moment for yourself today, and in the week ahead.
Life is full of its pain. But we must find those moments of joy, of connectedness, of togetherness, of beauty.
Please take care of you.
