One bright spot of the previous year is that so many of us spent more time outdoors with friends and family than ever before. Let’s safely continue that trend in the new year! We’ll be sharing tips and stories to inspire you on our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook , YouTube) and once a month here on our Good Natured blog. We hope you will share your adventures with us by tagging us on our social media platforms and using #TogetherOutside.
On the Street Where You Live
By Joanna Marvel- HHNM Marketing Manager
“Connection, in an isolating age” is a lyric from Johnathan Larson’s 1996 masterpiece “Rent” that I’ve sung from the top of my lungs a thousand times over the years, but has resonated with me recently unlike ever before. Human connections are my job. Be it through email, radio, press releases, social media posts - my ultimate goal is to join children and families with HHNM’s amazing staff. But like most people, I feel the best connections are made in person. Feeding off each other’s energy or excitement, and learning from one another’s expertise can take a project or idea to a whole new level. All of that came to a grinding halt in March of last year. As a person who lives with several lifelong health issues and a compromised immune system, my world suddenly became very small. While I will forever be grateful for my ability to work remotely during this time, it does not come without its drawbacks, namely, human connections.
With older parents who live 2 hours south, a sister 1,300 miles away, and a husband who is an essential worker, it can be very easy to feel isolated and anxious, and to pull away. But I found a wonderful solace in daily, and sometimes twice daily walks with my dog Marty McFly. Getting exercise, fresh air, and taking in the beauty of nature, were (are) a wonderful break from the screens dominating my days. I saw species of animals, including birds, snakes and turtles I had never seen (or more likely, never noticed) in the neighborhood before, and explored along a creek in a way I hadn’t since I was a kid. In addition, these walks led to a very exciting but unexpected result - new friendships.
My neighbor and I had been casual acquaintances for years. We always happily said hi while passing each other when walking our dogs or wished one another a good day while grabbing the mail, but I didn’t know much about him besides his and his families’ first names and the fact that he works at a local college. When his teaching job became remote, he found himself in a similar situation to me. We would occasionally end up walking our dogs at the same time, and began to stop to talk to each other at a distance. I quickly realized he had a lot in common with both me and my husband, as well as a hilarious sense of humor. We decided to kill two birds with one stone and take our dogs on walks together, walking on opposite sides of the street, while talking all things, family, work, politics, literature, movies, and whatever “tea” he had to spill (Gen Z slang I picked up during our walks). Our households also began to have occasional masked/socially distant outdoor hangouts in each other’s yards, and my husband and I are now very close (not physically!) with the whole family- it’s like having surrogate parents and siblings- which is a beautiful thing with all of our family members living hours away.
While I absolutely cannot wait for life to resume some semblance of normalcy, I truly appreciate the lessons I have learned and the important reminders reinforced during these incredibly difficult times. The monumental importance of family and friends, to not take for granted a cool breeze on a warm day or the excitement of seeing wildlife, and the magic that can exist in your very own neighborhood. To quote Dorothy from L. Frank Baum’s immortal classic The Wizard of Oz, “If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard; because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with." So from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you to the birds, bees, flowers, trees, and family and friends, old and new alike. #TogetherOutside