Hopewell
January 2021
Spencer Ducharme The Dude With a Truck
Cover photo by Benoit Cortet
A community magazine serving the residents of Hopewell Township, Pennington Borough and Hopewell Borough
Expert Contributors Lawn and Landscaping Cutting Edge Lawn and Landscaping, LLC
Dermatology Windsor Dermatology Wendy Myers, MD, Board Certified Dermatologist 59 One Mile Road Ext., East Windsor, NJ 609-443-4500 windsordermatology.com I #freezefat
Nick Pirone - Owner 1652 Reed Road, Pennington, NJ I 609-356-3465 nick@ce.land I ce.land.com
Letter from the Publisher Financial Advisor Knox Grove Financial LLC. Christina A. Nash, CFP® – President & CEO 2 Tree Farm Rd., Suite B100, Pennington, NJ 609-216-7440 Christina@knoxgrove.com I knoxgrovefinancial.com
Publisher: Rachel Donington rdonington@bestversionmedia.com Content Coordinator: Catherine Bialkowski cbialkowski@bestversionmedia.com
This issue marks the beginning of a new year—welcome 2021. It feels surreal to think we finally made it through the unique challenges of 2020, through a year filled with so much loss and seemingly never-ending hardship. Today, though, we look together to a better future. January is usually a time for resolutions, for promising yourself to stick with a new habit or maybe break an old one, but this year, it is enough just to feel grateful to have a fresh start. 2020 was hard on all of us; New Year’s resolutions can be great, but I encourage you instead to just be kind to yourself this season. We all struggled in different ways last year, and we all deserve peace and recognition for that. Many of us may not have all been on the front lines, but we all made sacrifices.
Designer: Micalah Taylor Contributing Photographer: Benoit Cortet www.benoitcortet.com Phone: 917-597-6297 benoit@benoitcortet.com
Orthodontics DeSimone Orthodontics
Medical Center RWJ University Hospital Hamilton
Dr. Karen DeSimone, DDS 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B-200, Pennington NJ 08534 609-737-8000 info@desimoneorthodontics.com www.desimoneorthodontics.com
1 Hamilton Way, Hamilton, NJ 08690 609-586-7000 www.rwjbh.org/rwj-university-hospital-hamilton/
Contributing Writers: Mary Galioto, Kenneth Marples, Lisa Wolff Advertising Contact: Rachel Donington Phone: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com
To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Hopewell Valley Neighbors publisher: Rachel Donington: 609-462-6786 rdonington@bestversionmedia.com. The Wilson Family provides affordable dignified services to the families of Hopewell Valley since 1960.
INVEST IN YOUR OUTDOOR SPACES
2560 Pennington Road, Pennington, NJ www.WilsonApple.com
Wilson-Apple Funeral Home Robert A Wilson, Owner NJ Lic # 2520
609-737-1498 Wilson-Apple Funeral Home
R.Asher Wilson, Manager NJ Lic # 3823/Pa Lic # FD-000766
Feedback/Ideas/Submissions Have feedback, ideas or submissions? We are always happy to hear from you! Deadlines for submissions are 25th of each month. Go to www. bestversionmedia.com and click “Submit Content.” You may also email your thoughts, ideas and photos to rdonington@bestversionmedia.com. Content Submission Deadlines: Content Due: Edition Date: November 25.................................January December 25................................February January 25........................................ March February 25.........................................April March 25..............................................May April 25................................................June May 25.................................................. July June 25............................................August July 25...................................... September August 25......................................October September 25 ��������������������������� November October 25................................ December
This January, the new beginnings of a fresh year, let us allow ourselves to seek inspiration and joy in simple things. Whether that is a sweet smile of child, a deep breath of fresh air on a cold winter morning, drinking coffee, or curling up to read a good book, may these moments fill your senses with delight and help to find calmness all around you. I hope 2021 is good to you; it is certainly well deserved. May the new year bless you with hope, love, happiness, and good health. Please enjoy this issue. Publisher: Rachel Donington, 609-462-6786
Like Rachel, I wish all of you good things in 2021. I share with you in this issue a book review of a very sweet story called The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, a gorgeously illustrated tale about friendship, love, hope, kindness, and gratitude. The horse in the story tells the boy, “When the dark clouds come, keep going...The storm will pass.” The dark clouds came for all of us last year, but the storm has passed. We have made it; and for that, I am grateful. I hope this year treats you all well. Content Coordinator: Catherine Bialkowski
609-737-1498 Cromwell-Immordino Memorial Home Joseph A. Immordino, Jr., Manager NJ Lic # 4231
609-466-0233 Timothy F. Reeg Funeral Director
Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted. All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. ©2021 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.
Timothy F. Reeg, Manager NJ Lic # 3982/Pa Lic # FD-013977-E
609-392-1039 Serving Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, Lawrenceville, Ewing, Peinnington, Titusville, Blawenburg, and Princeton.
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January 2021
Hopewell Valley Neighbors
Local businesses need you more than ever. PLEASE SHOP LOCAL. Our advertisers bring you this publication. Please tell them you saw their ad in Hopewell Valley Neighbors.
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Expert Contributor
finances in order and feel good about your investment decisions you can pass on a positive and stress-free relationship with money to your children. Make that part of your legacy plan!
Can We Talk About It?
We’d love to help you start off the year with a candid, positive discussion about your finances, provide you with the tools you need to make good financial decisions and get you excited about your next conversation about money. Call us at 609-216-7440.
Christina A. Nash Founding Partner & Financial Adviser
By Christina A. Nash, CFP® & Jodi Viaud, CFP® Let’s face it, for most of us, talking about money can be hard. It can be downright uncomfortable to be transparent about how you’re handling your finances, particularly if you have a negative view about money in general. Research shows that your background and past experiences influence your conscious and unconscious attitudes towards money, especially when it comes to financial planning. If having a conversation about your finances sets off an alarm and has you running for the hills, it may be a sign that you and your money are not on the best terms! The good news is you can have a healthy and stress-free relationship with money. Working with a financial advisor, one that will help you think about money as a tool to help you reach your goals, rather than the goal itself, is a great way to start. You’ll gain a different, professional perspective to help you understand your finances and make better fiscal decisions. An in-depth conversation with a financial advisor will help you address any concerns you have about your current financial situation, by focusing on topics that are important to you and setting the foundation for an overall financial strategy. You can get started by tackling some of the basics: • Savings: The easiest way to ensure that you are saving a portion of your hard-earned dollars is to establish an automatic savings
plan. Whether it’s to a savings account, 401(k), IRA, or some other type of Qualified account, commit to a specific amount each month and set up an automatic deposit into that account. • Debt and Spending: Make yourself accountable by creating a budget. Include every source of income and every dollar that’s being spent. Try to understand the motives behind your spending. Are you making too many impulse purchases? Does it feel like your debt is surreptitiously increasing? It’s more likely you had a hand in that, but you can get a handle on it by understanding your spending behavior.
&
Jodi Viaud
Partner & Financial Adviser
Knox Grove Financial, LLC 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B100 Pennington, NJ 08534 KnoxGroveFinancial.com
vvv Securities and investment advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced
• Plan ahead – Determine what your long-term goals are and then put your money to work for you. You worked hard to earn it, make sure it’s working just as hard for you. Your budget should include investing a portion of your monthly earned income for future goals and expenses - education, home ownership, vacation, retirement, and legacy plans. This is where the expertise of a financial planner can make all the difference by helping you make choices that align with your long-term goals. Understanding the reasoning behind your financial behavior will set you on the right path to making better decisions about your money. While you may have to make some adjustments to how you manage your finances, at the end of the day, your financial journey should be a joyful ride. As a bonus, when you get your
Improve Your Relationship with Money in 2021 Kick off the new year with a personalized financial plan that will help you understand your finances and set you on a path of wealth creation and preservation. YOUR PATH FORWARD Comprehensive Financial Life Plans
We extend our thoughts, prayers and concerns to all who are affected by this global crisis.
• Goal and Risk Assessment • Retirement. Tax and Estate Planning • Education Funding • Charitable Giving
Investment Portfolio Management
• Personalized Investment Strategies • Asset Allocation and Risk Management • Account Monitoring • Asset Preservation
YOUR PAT H FORWARD
Blackwell Memorial Home is here to continuously provide service and support to those that are experiencing a loss throughout this time. Christina Nash, CFP® Founding Partner and Financial Adviser
Jodi Viaud, CFP® Partner and Financial Adviser
Securities and investment advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.
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Kevin R. Latham
To schedule an appointment to talk about your financial future, call our office at 609-216-7440 Knox Grove Financial, LLC | 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite B100 | Pennington, NJ 08534 P: 609-216-7440 | www.knoxgrovefinancial.com Info@knoxgrove.com
January 2021
Manager/Lic. Director NJ #4625 / PA #000714
Elizabeth Blackwell Davis
Owner/Lic. Director NJ #2475
21 North Main Street, Pennington, NJ 08534
(609) 737-2900
www.blackwellmh.com
I
blackwellmem@verizon.net
Continuous family service since 1881 • Please contact us in your time of need to review options available
Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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In The Arts
Community Spotlight
Arts Council
By Carol Lipson | Hopewell Valley Arts Council Board of Trustees
A Look Back at 2020 By Lisa Wolff | Executive Director, FoHVOS
Each January, I write about starting a fresh new year. 2021 is no different but this time it feels a bit more poignant. Let’s face it; as years go, 2020 is best left behind. The pandemic colored all activities and was often stressful. The new year provides a blank page on which to start our new chapter. Yet before we move forward on the reset, spending some time on reflection will help to build upon our successes and avoid repeating past mistakes. In my reflection I’ll note that many people in Hopewell Valley concentrated on health– their own and others. People got outside to exercise. We also saw increased civic engagement as folks took a moment to consider the intersection between their private actions and the public impact. As the national political stage grew more polarizing, personal pursuits became more focused on creating unity. Individuals not only publicly supported social services that promoted the welfare of others, but also privately began more personal endeavors. Outdoor activity and previously neglected projects now took center stage but with a new twist, namely, mindfulness. For example, people approached gardening, a seemingly mundane task, with a new thoughtfulness by installing record numbers of native plants to
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improve their property while also seeking to restore the earth. Doug Tallamy, Professor and Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, said it best: “In the past, we have asked one thing of our gardens: that they be pretty. Now they have to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators and manage water.” Replacing lawn and traditional gardens with native wildflowers and grasses restores biodiversity and transforms that area into life sustaining habitat for rapidly declining insect and bird populations.
CURATED COCKTAILS
OUTDOOR SEATING Illustration by Barbara DiLorenzo
Hopewell, New Jersey
While environmental organizations such as mine have often focused on these issues, it is heartening to see conservation gaining ground in our collective consciousness. In the past, we were practically begging to get volunteers. Now people seek out nonprofit organizations and ask how they can help. FoHVOS has begun monthly volunteer training sessions to keep up with the demand. As the promise of a vaccine allows a glimpse of normalcy in our future and people plan a return to their busy lives, let’s try to hold onto the positive new practices that we embraced during the challenges of 2020.
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January 2021
Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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Resident Feature
Spencer Ducharme The Dude With a Truck By Catherine Bialkowski I Photos by Benoit Cortet
S
pencer Ducharme, 21, was on a 50-day excursion with Outward Bound, sailing along the Maine coastline, when he realized with certainty that, upon returning home to Hopewell Valley, he wanted to do something completely different with his life. After giving college a try for one semester and deciding to pursue a different route, Spencer had worked for a large junk removal franchise for a while as he tried to figure out the path he would ultimately take. “I had no phone, just a journal to write in,” says Spencer of his Outward Bound trip. This time gave him an opportunity to think deeply about himself and his passions, and what he really wanted out of life. Upon returning home, Spencer resumed work for the junk removal company, but something had shifted in his mindset; something had changed for good. After a few more months at the junk removal franchise, Spencer put in his two weeks, unsatisfied with the work he was doing. He split a pickup truck with his dad, and started driving around town looking for yard sales, offering delivery. He also started scouting out estate sales, handing out his business card to potential clients whenever possible. After five months, Spencer had enough money saved to buy a dump truck and was able to start offering junk removal services of his own. Operating mostly in Mercer and Bucks counties, Spencer expanded his services to include donation pickups, dumpster drop ‘n fill, and in-state moving. As time passed, Spencer’s endeavor began to take shape into a sustainable business model, and he realized he needed a headquarters. He had taken notice of a 100 square-foot shed on Main Street belonging to Erwin
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January 2021
Hopewell Valley Neighbors
Harbat of Harbat Farms, and reached out to Erwin, who rented it out to him. Since then, Spencer has rented another, larger shed, and, today, rents a 3500-square foot warehouse, both also from Erwin. He has recruited friends and former classmates from the The Hun School, as well as his older brother Devin, to join his company, and his girlfriend, Keelan Garcia, does the paperwork for the business from the headquarters. Today, Spencer’s company is known as Dudes With a Truck, and has been in operation for one year. About 60 percent of their work is full house moving services. The employees range from age 18 to 26, so it truly is a young company that is expanding its reach within and outside of the community. Last October, he and his team gave back to the community by handing out more than 300 pumpkins for free at Rosedale Mills for Halloween. Spencer hopes to expand soon, opening another location “across the river” in Pennsylvania. Overall, he is extremely proud of what he’s built in the past year. Spencer’s family is proud of him, too, for his entrepreneurial spirit but also for giving back to the community not only he but his father, Paul, grew up in. Spencer’s family has loved the Hopewell community so much they have stayed here for many years. Paul went through the Hopewell Valley school district, and Paul's father Bill is one of the oldest pilots in New Jersey. Spencer's mother, Stacey, has also been a huge advocate for her son's business endeavors, and he says he wouldn't be where he is today without her. Spencer has been involved with the Pennington Fire Company since the age of 16, when he joined as a junior member. At 18, he became a fully certified interior firefighter. “The fire academy helped me mature and showed me I can do great things in life,” says Spencer.
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Resident Feature When he’s not leading Dudes With a Truck, Spencer is passionate about being outdoors. As a kid, he loved to ride his bike around Hopewell Valley, explore the woods, and catch frogs in Curlis Lake in Pennington. Aside from taking a trip with Outward Bound, he has also been involved with Kieve, a wilderness camp for boys ages 8 to 17, first as a camper for five years, then as a counselor for two. “I love disconnecting with the world,” says Spencer. At Kieve, the boys are not allowed to keep their phones with them. “I remember thinking to myself a couple months ago that I wish I didn’t have all these responsibilities so I could throw my phone away and play cards with my buddies in the middle of nowhere.” For Spencer, nature is a meditative space. “Call me Alexander Supertramp,” he says. “I went to Kieve with my best friend and left with nine more,” he says. “It’s now a brotherhood with everyone who went to Kieve. I did a job just two weeks ago where my client’s son was a camper there, which was cool.”
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Always Better 3.65 x 5_Layout 1 11/30/20 9:01 PM Page 1
Always Better Together A Story of Acceptance, Friendship and Love
Christine’s Hope for Kids takes on bullying with a children’s book that teaches important lessons about accepting our differences, the true meaning of friendship, the power of forgiveness and the most important lesson of all, that treating others with kindness and love is the true path to happiness. This book was written in honor of Christine Gianacaci, who loved helping kids, especially those who were being treated unfairly because of their differences. Author Linda Martin, has written a story that addresses bullying through important lessons and the power of kindness.
Alw lway a y s Bet ette r To Togge g et eth t he h err
A Story of Acc eptance, Friends Story SSto t ry byy LLind hip and ind a Mart Ma rtrt in
Love
Illustst ration Illu rara tionss byy Anita An it a Barg Ba rg B rg higia h ig ia ni
Always Better Together can be purchased at christineshope.org or in Pennington at Artistic Designs, Emily’s Cafe, Orion Jewelry Studio, Pennington Quality Market, Rosedale Mills, The Front Porch and Twirl Toy Shop. In Lawrenceville at Enzo's La Piccola Cucina and in Robbinsville at Salon Xtraordinare. All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to kids in need in our local community.
During Spencer’s 50-day excursion with Outward Bound, he learned about the importance of following one’s inner path. Two weeks before the trip was scheduled to end, around the time he was journaling deep within the woods, Spencer began to feel that he was not where he needed to be. He had left college, and hoped the trip would clear his head and set him on the right path. But something told him he needed to go home and get to work. He was apprehensive about telling his parents he would be leaving the trip early, and felt guilty about leaving the amazing guides who had made the trip a success thus far. One day, the guides sent everyone out to spend 48 hours alone in the woods with a tarp, nuts, cheese, and an apple each, with absolutely no access to electricity or WiFi. That’s when Spencer wrote in his journal for hours and decided to follow his own path, leave the trip, and let the very beginnings of his business (only a dream at this point) begin to take root back at home. “If I didn’t leave when I did, Dudes With a Truck might’ve never existed.” Spencer Ducharme has truly carved his own path through life. Knowing with certainty where we should or should not be, what we should and should not do, are not easy concepts for many of us to conceptualize; but for Spencer, clarity and confidence have become second nature. At 21, Spencer has a successful business with his friends and loved ones, and his eyes are set far beyond the horizon. Great things are in store for Dudes With a Truck, and Spencer is on his way to reach them. Please support Dudes With a Truck by visiting their website, dudeswithatruck.com. Spencer can be reached at 609-731-9298.
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January 2021
Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact 11 Rachel Donington at rdonington@bestversionmedia.com.
Hopewell Valley Neighbors
Health & Wellness
Expert Contributor
Is this a Boil or Something More? Understanding Hidradenitis Suppurativa By Alexa Hetzel | M.S., PA-C
Managing the Unknown Together: Covid and Mental Health By Dr. Deborah Dumont
A boil, though painful, is a fairly common occurrence caused by the infection of a hair follicle and the surrounding skin. It begins as a red lump, then fills with pus as white blood cells rush in to fight the infection. Normally a boil can be treated at home and does not necessarily lead to a recurrence.
• Dissecting Cellulitis
When boils recur, however, it may be time to consider a diagnosis of Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) - also known as Acne Inversa - a chronic, non-contagious, painful and quality of life impacting skin disease that causes boils to form in the folds of the skin. HS tends to appear primarily in women and most commonly under the breasts, under the folds of the stomach, groin, genital area, buttocks, and sometimes the nape of the neck and behind the ears.
• Nicotine use
Additionally, if you have any of the following conditions, a boil is a likely indicator of HS. • Metabolic Syndrome
Dr. Dumont is a partner, psychotherapist and the Director of Development at Comprehensive Mental Health Services in Pennington and a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University. As an experienced parent and psychotherapist, I like to think of myself as a teacher, a guide, and a coach. I am truly honored to be a part of my children and my clients’ journeys while I offer what I know from my educational, professional, and personal experiences. I love both of my jobs immensely and I am so privileged to watch people grow and evolve. However, recently, being a parent and a therapist has been challenging in a way I never could have imagined. I am suddenly struggling because despite being 48 years old with 20 years of parenting and 25 years of professional experience, I am a bit perplexed in how to coach through such uncertain times. I am reminded of this every time my children ask if it is safe to do something they used to do without a question and I often don't feel confident in my answer. When clients describe feeling overwhelmed, disheartened, and full of grief, I don’t think their reactions are inappropriate given the losses they are enduring. I certainly can’t suggest they are engaging in “distorted thought processes” and simply need to “replace them with positive thoughts”. Instead, I listen carefully to what their experiences are, I normalize their feelings and together we make lists of what they know and what they don’t know to gain more clarity about what are emotionally-driven thoughts versus factually-driven thoughts. We also talk about resilience, self-care, and a variety of coping skills because we certainly need those during this difficult period! These strategies often help but sometimes they are not enough and I just sit quietly and allow them to grieve. The surge in energy that was so apparent in March as our community prepared to shut down for what we thought would be two weeks to two months has been replaced, for many, with enduring fatigue, hope-
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lessness, and isolation. The same excitement and sense of unity we felt during protests and moments of reflection in our small towns of Pennington and Hopewell, as we stood together for a better future for all colors, races, and sexes, has been met with utter despair and fear, for some, because despite these efforts tensions and divide continue.
• Acne Conglobata • Diabetes • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases • Spondyloarthrothopies • Heart Disease • High BMI The cause of HS is not fully understood, but we do know the symptoms are not due to poor hygiene, and HS is not contagious. It is also treatable, so be sure to contact a dermatologist for a professional diagnosis. Call Windsor Dermatology today at 609-443-4500!
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
To avoid painting a dismal picture of the future, I will resist commenting on politics, climate change, job loss, and the state of the economy because I don’t actually think the future is dismal and I am a strong believer that crises create change. In the meantime, let’s pay attention to our family, neighbors, friends, and community members because although many of us may feel sad and anxious some of the time, others are battling significant mental health challenges. I do worry that living in a moment in history marked with disconnection, fear, and disagreement will have a lasting impact on many and those without protective factors are even more vulnerable. We have something in common right now which is that most of us are more stressed and worried than we once were. Stress and worry, over time, can turn into mental health concerns. So let's support each other to adapt and manage our stress. We must validate the experiences of others, ask questions, and listen to one another because although we are all in this together we show up with different neurobiological make-ups, resources, supports, and backgrounds. When we are truly present for and with another we can tolerate difference, stay grounded when faced with incredible challenges, and respect a variety of life journeys. Being truly present with another creates meaningful connections which is something we can all benefit from right now. In addition, seeking professional help is not only normal but a wonderful way to nurture and protect the soul as well as evolve through this journey together.
January 2021
Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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Book Review SHARE YOUR STORIES Do you know any local student athletes, coaches or teams who deserve some recognition? Tell us why! Visit our website to submit your articles and videos so we can feature the go-getters and MVPs in your neighborhood.
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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse A Story of Hope in Uncertain Times
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By Catherine Bialkowski
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When is the last time you read a picture book? If you are not a child or a parent to young children, maybe it has been many years since you’ve done so. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy is a beautifully illustrated tale following the friendship of the four title characters that is worth reading for children and adults alike. The sentiments the author expresses through endearing illustration and carefully-selected diction may seem simple, but we as humans often overlook them. Especially now, in 2021, a fresh year we hope to fill with joy and light following the terrible hardship of 2020, we can all benefit from revisiting (or perhaps visiting for the first time) some of the simple yet profound observations about life author Mackesy shares in his New York Times bestselling book. Mackesy was born in Northumberland, the northernmost county in England. Although he never went to art school, he was trained in America by a portrait painter and worked for a time as a cartoonist for The Spectator. His depictions of the boy, the mole, the fox and the
horse are whimsical, and, combined with the achingly true assertions about life in the book, create a hopeful, childlike world to escape into. In The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, the boy meets the animals one by one, learning from each of them and befriending them all. We, the readers, learn about the values of being still, of being kind to oneself, and of expressing gratitude even in dark times. “Most of the old moles I know wish they had listened less to their fears and more to their dreams,” says the mole. How often have we all done the same? “What is the bravest thing you ever said?” asks the boy. “Help,” says the horse. We have all been there, to the place where asking for help feels like giving up. But the horse teaches us that asking for help shows great strength. Although published in 2019, the message of this gem of a book is so timely; through the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse, we can see a light at the end of the long tunnel that enveloped much of 2020. We can see the brightness of the future, but we can also see the present, and the good we are experiencing now that we may not have noticed before. “We do not know about tomorrow,” says the horse. “All we need to know is that we love each other. When the dark clouds come, keep going. When the big things feel out of control, focus on what you love right under your nose. The storm will pass.” This little story may seem like it’s meant for children, but it shares wisdom that can benefit the very old as well as the very young, and everyone in between. I encourage you to read it this winter and perhaps share it with a friend or a loved one. May it inspire us to look for light and joy in 2021 in places we may have forgotten to look, and may we always remember what the horse told the boy: the storm will pass; it always does.
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January 2021
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Hopewell Valley Neighbors
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Hopewell 1925
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