Talk of the Arts

Resilience. Psychology Today describes Resilience as that ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever. Rather than letting failure overcome them and drain their resolve, they find a way to rise from the ashes.

That certainly seems to describe Vermont and Vermonters in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene. For us at the magazine, we were on deadline and in a bit of a panic to get the files to the printer. A day after the storm we made it to our printer in Northampton. I-91 was closed halfway down, and we had to take a heavily trafficked detour, but we got there. The following week the magazines were delivered and we started distribution. As we drove all over Southern Vermont we were horrified at the destruction and at the same time heartened by how many businesses were open … many of them proud to tell us that they had opened the day after the storm hit.

Following our tour, we created an album for our facebook page to help spread the word that Vermont Is Open For Business. There are more albums and images of openings and other happenings in and around Southern Vermont at facebook.com/SoVermontArtsLiving.

All in all it’s been a tough year for many Vermonters, but as they say, adversity only makes us stronger. This issue is full of stories of folks who have come here to follow their dreams. They believe in Vermont and despite any setbacks continue to move forward.

These are the kind of stories we love to share.

Lynn Barrett, publisher/editor