February 2025
Dear friends,
The last several years have challenged most of us to develop a robust collection of stress relief strategies. Whether it's yoga, puzzles, journaling, nature walks, support groups, or taking action, we’ve had to find ways to manage these stressful times. In the days since January 20th, many of us have leaned on this bag of tricks as the latest policies and rhetoric of the new administration has unfolded. I found myself leaning on my long-distance running habit to help my mind process and cope with the emerging threats to people and projects I care deeply about.
In addition to calming my stress, running long-distances regularly gives me a visceral reminder of the common refrain that is true in this moment: “this is a marathon and not a sprint.” Frequently, I’ll set out to run for hours but then, after a few minutes, I want to give up and return home. Last April, I was at the starting line of the Toledo Marathon while a light rain fell on the mass of runners assembled. I had high expectations, telling my fellow runner friend that I was feeling good and expected to have a great race. But, soon after the race started, I started to feel sluggish. A marathon is 26.2 miles and I obviously had a long way to go. At mile 4, I still felt tired and my legs felt heavy. I figured I just needed to shake out the tightness in my legs and I’d soon hit my stride. But at mile 7, 8, 9, and 10, nothing had changed and I began contemplating walking or maybe even dropping out of the race. I simply could not imagine keeping up the running for another 16 miles! In those moments, I told myself: just keep moving, keep putting one foot in front of the other. But this mantra isn’t just for runners.
I’ve been thinking about that race often because it is a lesson for approaching the latest challenges we are facing. It will be a long haul and we will feel too tired to go on, but it won’t serve our goals for a better world if we simply give up. In that Toledo race I eventually did hit my stride, finished the race, and was proud of what I had accomplished. We too will hit our stride in creating a better world, but only if we just keep moving. We still have a very long way to go. We may need to slow down and we may need to lean extra hard on our collection of stress relief strategies. But, we can collectively keep moving forward to make a better world possible. Confucius once said, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
So, what does it mean to keep moving forward towards a better world right now? If you’re struggling to keep moving, it can mean to think of the things that will counteract the negativity, hate, and division being sewn into the fabric of our society. Do a small thing that builds unity, demonstrates love for your neighbor, or emphasizes the humanity in us all. In the wise words of Princess Anna from Frozen 2, “Just do the next right thing, take a step, step again…this next choice is one that I can make.” What is the next choice you can make? If you are feeling immobilized and frozen by the overwhelm that surrounds you, keep moving by just doing the next right thing. When you are ready for larger steps forward, join organizations that advocate for values you hold dear, connect and take action within your local spaces, and offer material and emotional support to those who are most impacted. We can hold onto our goal of making a better world possible, even when the challenges feel greater than ever. If we just keep moving, we’ll hit our collective stride to build the world we all deserve.
Take care and keep moving forward,
Paul
Today’s Key Point:
Making a better world possible is a marathon not a sprint and we need to keep moving forward towards a better world.
Today’s Reflection Questions:
What are the small steps forward you can take to combat negativity, hate, and division?
Are you feeling stuck or helpless? What is the next right thing you can do?
How can you support friends and family who feel stuck or helpless? What could you do to provide support and take a step forward together?
What is your vision for a better world and what is one step you can take THIS WEEK to start building it?
Quote of the Month:
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Inspired reading/listening/viewing:
Hope is at the heart of "healthy mourning." Interview with Dr. Gail Christopher in Salon.