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ISSUE 6, 18 NOVEMBER 2025
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Welcome back to The Bend!
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The Bend follows a simple rhythm each week. The Eddy Line opens with a one-line thought or
observation, something short enough to remember but worth thinking
about. What the Current Pulled Toward dives a
little deeper into where the previous week’s energy went, whether that’s
a project, a partnership, or a personal lesson learned. Signal Fire highlights a person, place, or initiative
that deserves some attention. And One Thought Worth
Sitting With closes things out with a brief reflection or quote
that will hopefully help guide you through whatever you may be dealing
with.
It’s part journal, part field note, and hopefully
something that makes you pause for a moment before diving back into the
current.
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“Sometimes nostalgia isn’t a retreat, rather it’s a
map showing where you began so you can see where you’re
headed.“
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What the Current Pulled Toward
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This week, the current
pulled toward nostalgia.
Over the
weekend, I took my son hunting back home. While we didn’t see anything
(and he’s still chasing his elusive first buck), in my mind there’s no
such thing as an unsuccessful hunting trip. The time spent with him in
the woods was enough, in and of itself. The overall trip, though, pulled
in some good memories, some not-so-good ones, and a whole lot of
reflection.
Unlike a lot of the folks
in my hometown, I didn’t grow up hunting, even though the opportunity
was there. As a stubborn, only child I pushed it away many times and
missed out on what might have been some really cool core memories. Don’t
get me wrong, I had an awesome childhood. I
never went without (though I’m 100% positive my mom filled in the gaps
so I wouldn’t notice). Like most kids, I took a lot for granted:
small-town life, access to natural resources, childhood friendships. And
like most, I was in a hurry to leave and didn’t do it as gracefully as I
could have. Let’s just say there was some collateral damage on the way
out.
As I get older, though, nostalgia
has begun to creep in and it loomed big this weekend. But the trick now
isn’t to wallow in the “should’ve” and “could’ve.” It’s to use that past
as a tool for the present and a guide for what’s next.
Over the summer, I wrote an apology letter to my
hometown. I was reminiscing pretty hard and started to feel a lot of
guilt, which then led to remorse. I’m notoriously hard on myself and I’m
sure I wasn’t as inconsiderate as the picture my mind was painting at
the time. Maybe I was. I don’t know. At any rate, writing the letter was
therapeutic for me and was a first step toward accountability, albeit 30
years late. I’m not sure if I’ll ever share it
publicly but, just for another’s perspective, I sent it to a very good
friend of mine that I’ve known since we were 11 years old. His response:
the town itself is inanimate; what counts is what you do moving forward.
He’s a smart one.
Somewhere between
the drive there, sitting in the woods for a couple hours, and writing
that letter, I arrived at this: our past doesn’t have to define us but
we’d be foolish not to allow it to inform us.
Appreciate the good, accept the bad, and use what we
remember to build what we still hope for.
- Mike.
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Friends of Mountain (FOMV) is
doing impressive work in the heart of Roanoke’s history by raising
support to restore and preserve Mountain View, the historic Fishburn
Mansion and its grounds.
Their mission
is “to partner with the City of Roanoke to preserve,
promote, and sustain Historic Mountain View.” This team is small but
mighty. I had the privilege of working with them recently during a
strategic-planning session focused on developing a fundraising strategy
for this early-20th-century mansion.
The nostalgia of the place is front and center in their
vision and it’s less about preserving a monument to the past so much as
it is empowering a place for community and connection moving forward.
There’s so much potential for this space and FOMV has the vision, they
just need the philanthropy to make it a reality.
If you’re able, I know they would appreciate a donation, no
matter the amount.
Donate
here.
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One Thought Worth Sitting With
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This week’s theme: Nostalgia.
“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be
lived forwards.”
- Søren Kierkegaard
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Let’s Go to Germany and Austria!
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This time next year, Oxbow is heading overseas, and
you’re invited. We’re partnering with
EF Adventures for a guided
multi-adventure journey
through Germany and Austria, exploring Bavaria, Tyrol, and Salzburg
by foot, bike, paddle, and rail.
It’s part cultural immersion and part active escape,
with alpine trails, lakeside yoga, village cafés, and the kind of views
that make you forget your phone exists. This isn’t a tour bus vacation;
it’s a chance to travel intentionally, move through landscapes at a
human pace, and connect with a group that values
curiosity
as much as comfort.
If you’ve ever wanted to explore Europe beyond the
postcards, this is your moment.
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Follow Oxbow on Social Media
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