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ISSUE 18, 24 FEBRUARY 2026
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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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“Experiences are memories in the making and time is
the currency.”
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What the Current Pulled Toward
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This week the current pulled toward
experiences.
We took
a mid-winter break in Puerto Rico as a family, not chasing bigger things
or more stuff, but intentionally choosing time together. We aligned the
trip with days off from school so the kids wouldn’t miss much and the
trade-off was so incredibly worth it.
This trip was part of our kids’ Christmas and we were
intentional about making it one that was unwrapped with memories and
moments and not so much with paper and boxes.
Following up on last week’s reflection on mortality, it’s
clear the things that last longest aren’t objects on a shelf but
experiences etched into memory. As parents, we felt a responsibility to
create spaces where our kids can remember being present, curious,
connected, and loved.
And it doesn’t
have to be tropical getaways like the one we just did. Sometimes it’s
just a visit down the street to your local park. In many ways, that makes this notion of prioritizing
experiences mirror our work as professionals.
Parks, trails, public spaces - these are environments for
living and belonging. They’re so much more than just amenities or
features that make up our respective communities. Our profession, at its
core, is about livability and quality of
life.
Few gifts are greater than time
well spent.
- Mike.
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Appalachian
Voices is a nonprofit dedicated to connecting and sustaining the
people and places of Appalachia through environmental advocacy, economic
opportunity, and community empowerment. Their work spans clean energy
efforts, protecting forests and water, and building resilient local
economies across the Appalachian region, with a focus on justice and
long-term stewardship.
I’m honored to
be working with Appalachian Voices and several other partners to explore
the feasibility of a
regional resiliency network in a handful of Appalachian states. This
effort is about preparing communities for climate change, economic
transition, and the complex challenges that lie ahead. We’re doing this
not by pushing a single solution, but by listening, collaborating, and
building from local priorities.
The
places we protect, the landscapes we steward, and the networks we build
all shape the opportunities future generations will have to live fully in this region we call home.
To learn more about Appalachian Voices, click
here.
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One Thought Worth Sitting With
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This week’s theme: Experiences.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at
all.“
-Helen Keller
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Follow Oxbow on Social Media
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