This week, I've written articles about the online indoctrination aimed at America's children, and how through the internet, evil actors are targeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha in particular for radicalization. Getting young, impressionable minds away from this hazard is crucial for their mental and physical health and well-being; but it's also vital for the rest of us to do the same.
It was Gen Z that coined the phrase, "Dude, go touch some grass!" But they are spot on. We have to make concerted efforts to get out from behind the screens: whether it be our phones, our televisions, or our laptops, and get eye-to-eye and shoulder-to-shoulder with our families and with one another, as well as breathe fresh air and align with the natural world around us.
This week, I was blessed to connect with a couple of women's groups I am involved in, and it was a wonderful break from the madness of the world and the madness that sometimes characterizes our lives. This week's Feel-Good Friday is about community, and connection through activity and through nature.
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One of the blessings of living in Alabama is the natural beauty and the waterways which surround me. I live along the Tennessee River, so when I get from behind my screens to go out and about, it usually involves crossing a bridge, or several bridges, to get from one point to another. The state boasts 132,000 miles of rivers and streams, so just driving and taking it all in with my eyes is a salve to the soul. It makes a huge difference in my day.
There are also some walking bridges in our area that allow people to drink in the river, connect with nature, get exercise, and even join with friends or a group of people for activity. In Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a group of elderly women, called "The Bridge Babes," provides more inspiration like this. These ladies get together during the summer, and they walk the foot bridges in and around the small city.
This is one of the many reasons why reducing and combatting crime is so important. Being able to walk and explore freely, without fear is a huge part of helping people to embrace nature and let their guards down. So, safety for these elder women is a critical part of being able to embrace what they do - and each other. Thank God that Eau Claire honors that.
For the last three summers, a group of women in Eau Claire has gotten together to walk every pedestrian bridge in the city.
It’s a chance for the women to get some exercise outside. But step by step, it also reminds them of the power of friendship.
When meeting Doris Coseboom for the first time, it’s hard to believe she just turned 90 years old.
“I start and then I don’t want to stop,” Coseboom said. “Those bridges, to think they spent that much money on joy and beauty. Yay Eau Claire.”
Doris is a part of the group, ‘The Bridge Babes.’ Each summer, they walk across all of the pedestrian bridges in the city.
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Doris Coseboom used to walk the bridges on a regular basis with her husband, but he passed away during COVID, and she was stuck in her grief while being isolated at home. In 2022, she decided to start up again, and gathered with two friends to do just that. The Bridge Babes expanded from there. These ladies not only walk together, but they pray as they walk.
“I think that first year with the three of us, I went home every day and was sad,” Coseboom said. “But by now, I find so much joy in this, and I always think of my husband Tom, and we’ll mention, ‘oh, he loves this walk.’ It’s just joy-filled for me.”
Whether it’s the Grand Avenue Bridge, the Highbridge, or just a leisurely stroll, the walks for the Bridge Babes are filled with joy.
“We need our girlfriends. We need our sisters,” Jolley said. “Each one of these ladies is like a sister to me.”
“I think of my friends, what would I have done in the past without them?” Coseboom said.
With each step, the women know their sisters are right beside them.
“They make my life better. They make my heart smile,” Coseboom said. “I think it’s the greatest gift God has ever given me.”
Of course, Wisconsin has harsh winters, so when The Bridge Babes cannot walk with each other, they get together to study the Word of God. So, the bond of fellowship continues, whether the activity is physical, mental or spiritual.
WATCH:
The Bridge Babes show that we have no excuses. Get off your couch and go for a walk, even if it's just around the block.
Need some further inspiration? Here's one for the men! There are groups of fathers who gather up their children in order to meet with other fathers for walks in the park. In Chicago, these "Daddy Strollers" meet once a month in Chicago's Washington Park, but other cities across America have started Daddy Stroller Social Club groups too.
What an ingenious idea! Not only do these dads get a chance to connect with other like-minded fathers, but the fathers connect with their children, and those children connect with other children. Socialization all around, and on top of that, the moms get a huge break.
The club began in Dallas about three years ago and now has taken on a life of its own with chapters across the country. Jones leads the club’s Chicago chapter, which meets about once a month.
“I’ve seen our group in Dallas go from about five dads to hundreds and it’s a beautiful experience, a beautiful sight,” he said. “Just having that connection, that’s something great so I wanted to bring that here to Chicago.”
[...]
The Daddy Stroller Social Club is one way to move, talk and show support — dad to dad.
“It’s a brotherhood and it’s not race based. It’s a fatherhood, we’re all dads and we all have that shared experience of wanting to take care of our children,” Jones said.
WATCH:
I. LOVE. IT! Mental health has also been at the forefront of much of the news, or the lack of it, and how it has lead to some of the tragedies we have experienced recently. Making time to be in nature and embarking on adventures with others, whether it's a walk or a full-blown activity, is necessary for our physical and mental well-being. Not only are we creating pathways in our bodies that maintain or enhance our health, but we are connecting to open space and air, bonding with others, and making memories.
So, I encourage you, go "Touch Grass." Whether that be by taking a walk, going on a hike, or having a picnic! It can even be as low-key as rocking on your porch or puttering around your garden. As long as the activity involves connecting with nature and connecting with fellow humans, then you've doing it right.
How do you "touch grass" and connect with others?
Editor's Note: At RedState, it's not all about politics and policy. We like to bring attention to what's good in the world, with columns like "Feel-Good Friday," "Start Your Weekend Right," and "Hoge's Heroes."
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