As I look back on 2025, I find myself returning to the stories that shaped us. Being a lifelong resident of Midland, I have enjoyed watching this community evolve over the decades. Raising my own children here has compelled me to become more involved in community work, driven by the values that matter most to me: connection, belonging, dignity, and compassion.
Through committee work and collaboration, I’ve met so many beautiful humans whose lives are unfolding in real time. They are quietly moving the world in a better direction, just going about their day, as if what they do doesn’t really matter. But it does. Their journeys revealed how belonging is created through everyday gestures of care, presence, and courage.
*The Heart of Authenticity* was born from the belief that Midland is full of people who show resilience, compassion, and passion every single day. Their lived experiences are sources of insight. Over the past year, I have been honored to share their stories through this monthly column, introducing the community to the quiet leaders, the bridge builders, and the ones who rarely get applause.
Throughout 2025, *The Heart of Authenticity* celebrated the people who make this community what it is — people who showed up in places where others wouldn’t go. Maybe that was not their intention, but it became their destination. Through their examples, we saw growth take shape in small, steady steps. They allowed us to see the messy parts, the setbacks, and the moments when they had to reach deep for resilience.
From a young man who grew up in foster care to the judge who terminated guardianship and allowed him to be his own person, we saw how a person can overcome some of the biggest hardships in life. We met the people involved in non-profit organizations who don’t let others slip through the cracks and learned that improvements have been made in the DHHS system because of agencies like River Jordan and The Foster Care Navigation System.
We also met some quiet leaders like Bryan Rombalski and Laura Brigham, both using the arts to nurture other people’s gifts. They see potential in others and connect with people who might never have crossed paths otherwise. We saw how Krista Yager held space for young people in transition, with a quiet, unwavering commitment to show up and advocate for the foster children she cared for. And Josh Higgins focused on creating safe, meaningful connections that made people realize that they mattered.
Each of these stories has a common thread of lifting others and building belonging. Helping people to be seen and heard has a profound impact on our community.
We saw how often their journeys began in places that felt lonely and confusing, places where they were often misunderstood. Yet their potential was unlocked with the help of others. When people are seen, heard, and understood, they step into new possibilities. This is what belonging offers. This is the magic of a community that refuses to give up on others.
Hope emerges from the ways we show up for one another. Possibilities unfold.
The stories shared gave us glimpses of people who were learning, rebuilding, or stepping into something new. They offered us wisdom and insight into areas we may not have recognized in our community. We saw inside the systems, recognizing that small and consistent acts can create meaningful changes.
We built community around those steps, allowing dignity to be restored. By opening up and being vulnerable, the people featured in this column helped others with similar journeys feel valued and less alone. Each person can nurture another person’s growth and have a profound impact on many.
This past year, I’ve watched people be lifted, motivated, and even launched into new directions. *The Heart of Authenticity* is a vessel to amplify these voices.
As we enter 2026, this column will continue to honor the people who shape our community. We will meet individuals who amplify belonging, growth, hope, and possibility. I hope to widen the circle and spotlight the small, steady gestures that make Midland feel like home, reminding us that belonging is built by neighbors who show up, listen, and hold space for one another.
I hope to feature people who are becoming truer versions of themselves, highlighting growth in its most honest form. You will read about real challenges, honest conversations, and the courage it takes to keep moving forward. And with 2025 feeling like such a polarized year, “hope” will continue to be a common thread in the stories I write.
We will see compassion, resilience, and connection guide our actions. Because if there is one thing I know about Midland, it is that we show up for others even when it’s hard. Possibility lives in every story we tell, expanding each time we recognize ourselves in someone else’s journey.
My hope is that as you reflect on *The Heart of Authenticity*, you recognize the ways your own presence shapes this community. And if there is a story waiting to be seen, I’d love to help bring it into the light.
https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/midland-heart-authenticity-21272039.php
About the Author
