Today, I have a random assortment of thoughts to share with you. Reflections on the experience of publishing thirty weekly newsletters since the end of last year, what my summers have been like the last five years, one of my favorite Aldo Leopold passages, and one of my favorite songs.
Thirty Newsletters
This is the thirtieth edition of my newsletter. So far it has been both challenging and rewarding to publish something every Sunday. I’ve made a couple of new friends through sharing and publishing and refined my thoughts on many topics that I’ve been mulling over for years. The fact that I get to write whatever is on my mind, and people actually read it, and say nice things to me about my writing blows my mind every time. I appreciate all of you so much for reading this, and I hope that you are enjoying it.
None of this would be possible without my Editor-in-Chief/ beautiful wife Katie. Each week when I’ve brain-dumped enough words to resemble a first draft, she proofreads it and helps me improve it. She’s sacrificed countless hours and been very supportive when there is no clear tangible benefit to her, besides seeing me do something I feel called to do. And for that, I am incredibly lucky and grateful.
Summertime Shuffle
For the last five-plus years, whenever summer rolls around, Katie and I know we need to get ready to be busy just about every weekend. I look around and see many of my friends and family have the same experience. Summer arrives and we cram our calendars full and leave no room for many of the things that we would actually like to do, like - relax, take care of ourselves, go for a walk, or anything that we are not obligated to do.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s a blessing to have family and friends to spend time with and fill the weekends of summer. But the older I get, the more I realize, you sometimes need to say no to things. You need to protect your calendar.
I hope that as summer goes on, you find time for friends and family, but also for yourself. And that you are able to do things you actually want to do, and not just things you feel obligated to do.
Aldo Leopold Passage - “A Sand County Almanac”
“In those days we had never heard of passing up a chance to kill a wolf. In a second we were pumping lead into the pack, but with more excitement than accuracy: how to aim a steep downhill shot is always confusing. When our rifles were empty, the old wolf was down, and a pup was dragging a leg into impassable slide-rocks. We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.”
As a hunter, who cares deeply for animals and loves nature, this almost brings tears to my eyes..
Song
It’s difficult to overstate the impact that The Band has had on American music. This is a live recording of one of their best songs and I think it’s about as close to perfection as music gets.
As always, thank you for reading, and enjoy the rest of your day.
-SJ
I had a friend in university who said each of us has a "winter self" and a "summer self." The "summer self" is the one who goes out and about throughout the warm months of the year, meeting and greeting all kinds of family and friends. The "winter self" is the one who tends to stay closer to home, inside, where it's warm, throughout the cold months.
Your writing about summer outings and obligations reminded me of this. Cheers, and cheers to good editors too!
Wow. 30 already! Way to go! No doubt the band is great!!