Fresh starts. A little tabula rasa does us all good from time-to-time. Looking forward affords us the opportunity to embrace change and accept new challenges. For some, January is a good starting point; for others, September is the launching pad for moving in a new direction.
This issue includes some perspectives on moving forward or shaking things up a bit. Take, for example, Dawn Bennett, author of The Touch Crisis: Navigating the Tricky Terrain of Bringing Healthy Touch Back to Our Culture. On page 28, Madeline Kopiecki examines Bennett’s take on the return of more human touch in a post-pandemic world. How do you plan to react to an extended hand or an offered hug?
Samantha DeLeon writes on page 22 about musician Craig Schmoller and some fellow artists, who, in lieu of live gigs, decided “Enough is enough. No pandemic is going to get us down. Let’s make some music, properly physically-distanced, of course,” he says. The group, the Smokin’ Henways was born, and the band headed into a recording studio.
I had the pleasure of connecting with Charlie Leonard, the artistic director and founder of Wayzata’s Blue Water Theatre Company. On page 16, he describes how the theater company pivoted during and after the pandemic. “Luckily, we remain in strong financial shape due to the generosity of our supporters and the seriousness with which the board and staff take our fiscal responsibilities ... But programming was affected in a big way,” he says.
Looking forward shouldn’t prevent us from remembering and honoring the past. Kopiecki also offers a look at a 9/11 memorial in Wayzata. Turn to page 20 for more information, and visit wayzataconservancy.org for up-to-date information.
Until next time,
Renée Stewart-Hester
