Together Again

A Reason to Smile

Dear Steady Community, 

Today we ask for your indulgence as we share “A Reason to Smile” that is personal to us. Our hope is that you will find resonance in a broader message. 

The title of today’s Steady post really says it all. This weekend found the two of us writing this post back in person, together again. 

It’s the first time that’s been the case in nearly four years. When we think of all that has transpired in that time, in each of our lives and in the Steady newsletter — not to mention the world at large — it is almost hard for us to believe. 

As is often the case when reuniting with old friends, the gap of the years faded in an instant. As soon as one of us rang the bell and the other opened the door, it was as if we had seen each other just yesterday — which to be fair, we had, on FaceTime. 

Still, there is something different about standing there, a handshake, a hug, and looking an old friend in the eye, face to face. Technology can be wonderful for keeping us connected, but it is no replacement. 

There was a time when a lot of us took being together for granted. The two of us worked together closely, first at CBS News and then for Mark Cuban on our weekly newsmagazine “Dan Rather Reports.” Work meant being in the office with your colleagues, unless you were chasing a story. We talked together, strategized, sat in edit rooms, hammered out scripts, grabbed coffees and lunches, and sometimes shared an adult beverage to celebrate getting the job done. 

As with many people whose friendships go from being local to distant, one of us moved for family reasons. Then came the pandemic, and travel stopped. Then came many reasons why now wasn’t the right time. And then it was. And here we were.

Life is a unique journey for all of us. Only we know everything that happens in our own lives. But as social creatures, we can gain strength from our relationships with others. In collaborative lines of work, we become better from what our colleagues have to offer. We learn, laugh, and lament together. We take a deep look at our friends to be attuned to what they may be reticent to share. 

There are wonderful ways to support those we care about through letters and phone calls. The two of us communicate via text, email, shared documents, and video chats. This array of technology has allowed our friendship, our collaboration, and certainly this newsletter to continue and thrive. 

But as we sat there together this weekend, on a quiet balcony, over dinner at the kitchen table, and at a last breakfast before a flight home, we couldn’t help but marvel how different it was to be there in person. 

Old remembrances tumbled forth. There were checkups on our families. And talk of what we hoped for the Steady community. We covered many of the topics we discuss on the phone. But the conversation felt deeper. There were more pauses for reflection. More space to sit with our thoughts. We both fell into a pattern of discourse that felt familiar from the past. This is how it had been. But what once was a given is no longer. Isn’t that how life works? 

We’re already planning the next visit. 

“See you soon.”

——
Finally, when we launched Steady, we did so with a picture of the Muppets. So we figured it was only fitting to turn to them once again for musical inspiration paired to this column — “Together Again,” a reason to smile. 

Note: We’re deeply thankful for the Steady community. If you aren’t already a member, please consider subscribing. Both free and paid options are available.