There’s a ritual that follows every summer walk in Nova Scotia. The dogs get inspected first. Then it’s my turn. If Joe is home, he helps. A romantic summer ritual if ever there was one.

I’ll be honest – nobody enjoys the tick check. There’s something unsettling about searching for a thing you hope isn’t there. It would be easier not to look. But not looking is the only truly dangerous option. A tick found tonight is nothing. A tick unnoticed for weeks is a different story.

Life is full of things we’d rather not look at.

For those who have served, in uniform, on the front lines, in emergency rooms, operational stress injuries come with the territory the same way ticks come with the woods. Not everyone picks one up, but everyone who does the work is exposed. That’s not weakness. It’s the nature of the terrain.

And nobody stops going into the woods because of ticks. The work you’ve done, and the reasons you signed up, were worth it. An injury along the way doesn’t mean the journey was a mistake.

The answer was never to stay home. The answer is to check, regularly, honestly, without shame. And some spots we simply can’t see on our own. Sometimes it takes another set of eyes, someone who’s willing to help, to notice what we can’t.

So enjoy the trails this summer. Just remember: it’s only the things we’re afraid to look at that have the potential to become problems.

At Landing Strong, nobody checks alone. Reach Julie at jwells@landingstrong.com or 902-472-2972.

Warmly,

There are few things more satisfying than creating a delicious summer meal from fresh produce picked up at the local farmers market – or better yet, from your own garden. This time of year, the colours are richer, the smells are sweeter, and the food literally bursts with flavour.

I enjoy preparing these meals thoughtfully. But the real magic happens afterwards: savouring them slowly, enjoying one another’s company over good conversation out on the patio. Perhaps a game of Scrabble, if I can convince anyone to join me. My family has developed a remarkable talent for disappearing the moment the board comes out.

My favourite part about these meals? Nobody is in a rush to go anywhere.

We spend so much of our lives moving quickly. Eating on the go, rushing between commitments, checking the clock. Somewhere along the way, meals became something to get through rather than something to enjoy. But summer offers us a gentle invitation to slow down. The evenings are long. The tomatoes are ripe. The conversation can wander wherever it likes.

There’s healing in this kind of slowness. When we take time to truly taste our food, to linger at the table, to laugh with the people beside us, we’re practicing something important: being present. Not planning, not worrying, not bracing for what’s next. Just here, now, with a plate of something delicious.

Perhaps the best summer moments are a little like those garden tomatoes. Slow to ripen. Impossible to rush. But maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly what makes them sweet.

So here’s my invitation to you this week: prepare one meal slowly. Share it with someone if you can. Then sit back, and savour.

And if you’re looking for more good company, our community would love to have you. Just drop Julie a line or give her a call – jwells@landingstrong.com, 902-472-2972. 

Warmly,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

During a recent Community Connections scavenger hunt, I stumbled across an old apple tree on the Haliburton Estates. It immediately caught my attention. Its trunk was twisted and gnarled, its branches weathered by countless seasons. Time had left its mark. It may no longer produce the crisp apples it once did, but standing there, I couldn’t help but think it was absolutely beautiful.

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

I’ll let you in on a secret: I never nap. But this weekend, I snuck two in. I felt a bit guilty given how glorious it was outside (though I’d say the heat wave earns me a pass). So I gave myself permission to do exactly what I pleased. And my naps pleased me.

There can be a pressure that arrives with summer. The long days seem to whisper that we should be filling every hour with all the gifts the warm weather has to offer: barbecues, beach days, weekends at the cottage. Expectations can build up quickly.

But just because something is good, doesn’t mean more is better. Summer offers many gifts, but who says they have to be opened all at once? Participating in small ways – a short walk in nature, a phone call to a friend, a shared meal – can be meaningful. Ten minutes on the porch counts. So does a nap.

The sun takes its time setting in July. Maybe we’re allowed to take our time too.

If you’d like company at your own pace, our community would love to welcome you. Just drop Julie a line or give her a call – jwells@landingstrong.com, 902-472-2972.