Given a view back at Earth, the chaos that has overtaken our land becomes more obvious and less impactful and troublesome. The constant threat from the virus, the racial discord and those fomenting violence in the streets of American cities, the constant harangue of charges and counter charges in our media, the threat of foreign intrusions into our election process, the debate over the election process itself, the increasing ugliness of the political mudslinging that are causing us worry, pulling at our attention, all tend to sap whatever joy we can draw out from times such as these.

There are those here in Summit County and across our nation who are out of work and have no sources of income. There are those who are going hungry.  There are those receiving eviction notices. There are those sick with disease and others who have lost loved ones to COVID-19. Our times call for compassion and for possible change in ourselves and the ways we are coping.  I am advocating for a timeout from stress and a time in for helping one another. There’s too much tension leading to verbal battles and outpourings of rage. This isn’t the best of us. It isn’t what we were like a year ago. And the proximity to this national election isn’t going to permit an easy tamping down of the hateful rhetoric. We can get a grip and turn the volume lower for ourselves. We can go about doing what is important for both ourselves and our society. 

Do try to destress a bit. Do try to reach out to others if you are able. Do vote. And then do take the time to go out to this autumnal beauty that is so much the reason we have each come to Summit County.