Send Mara a quick text love note here!

Welcome back to Even Here, Even Now. I’m Mara, your host, and today’s episode is a deeply personal reflection on how we navigate overwhelming times, hold space for grief, and find our unique role in the world. I share my own struggles, insights, and the ongoing journey of learning to care for myself while showing up for my community. If you’re someone who feels the weight of responsibility, this episode is for you. (Ahem, eldest sisters to the front.)

Timestamps & Highlights:

0:00 – Opening thoughts: waking up to grim news and emotional overwhelm

3:38 – Crying in the driveway. Maybe you need to cry too?

6:41 – The pressure to minimize our needs in the face of the overwhelming need of the people around us

10:55 – The “group project” fear: why it's really hard to trust others to do their part 😬

13:51 – Learning to be honest about our capacity if we want to be in community

17:24 – The unreasonable expectation to be good at everything, and how to let that go

21:04 – My journey into local activism: choosing affordable housing as my “corner” of the work

24:36 – Using my voice and skills to make an impact, and letting go of what isn’t mine to carry (I know, yikes and ugh)

29:13 – The power of doing your one thing: how doing less can actually mean doing more (and more sustainably)

Thank you for listening and for being part of this space. Remember, you don’t have to do everything—just your one thing matters.