by Stephanie Toews, Executive Editor

“Today, you could be standing next to someone who is trying their best not to fall apart, so whatever you do today, do it with kindness in your heart.” Unknown

It’s easy to get discouraged in this life, isn’t it? Just last week, I was struggling to find the positive when a text came through from a dear friend at just the right moment: an invite to spend some time together at the Farmer’s Market. While my instinct when feeling down is often to withdraw, I said yes. A few days later, we sipped coffee and caught up on all the good and the hard. By the end of our time together, my spirits were lifted, and my steps felt a bit lighter. There’s power in community, and there’s hope in sharing our struggles with those we love and trust. We were made to be together, and carving out intentional time for connection is what makes life truly wonderful.

So many of us are trying to hold it together, carrying struggles and hardship while forcing smiles on weary faces. A simple gesture can mean so much; it can make all the difference. A smile, an encouraging word, a compliment, or a listening ear, these small acts of kindness have a big impact. They are not insignificant, but rather, they are powerful tools that we all possess. May we never get so caught up in our own schedules, agendas, to-do lists, and struggles that we forget to embrace each person who crosses our path with kindness and love. Let’s look beyond ourselves and toward the needs of others. Let’s be living sunshine.

As we trade summer’s easy, breezy days for fall’s rhythm and routine, our Harvest Harmony issue offers inspiration for the shifting seasons. There are so many amazing people and organizations bringing sunshine, hope, and life to our city. From one local woman’s dream of uniting the community through fall flowers at Sun & Celosia’s Sunflower Field to the incredible power of music to connect the generations with Billings Symphony’s Explore Music!, from hope and recovery for incarcerated women at Hannah House to the beautification of shared spaces through art, these are just a few of the wonderful stories that grace this month’s pages.

May the following pages bring a breath of fresh air from the news, daily grind, and struggles. There is good happening right outside of our doors. Let’s join together to make our city better and brighter. Let’s come alongside the afflicted, broken, and hurting to help change the trajectory from hopeless to hope-filled. Let’s focus on the good, because when we do, it inspires us to make the world a better place. Let's allow these stories to fuel our own positive actions and contributions to our community.

Love,

Stephanie

Originally printed in the September 2024 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Read this article in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

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