With all the uncertainty and rising hate in the country, I’m grateful to live in Maine. Our wilderness is some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, especially the state’s whitewater rivers. I spend my weekends guiding rafting trips down the West Branch of the Penobscot River, through Ripogenus Gorge, Cribworks and beyond.

When I’m in the back of the boat, dropping into Exterminator in the Ripogenus Gorge, the noise of the world disappears. I’m locked into the moment — focused, alive and at peace. It’s a feeling I’ve never been able to replicate anywhere else.

This state reminds me that real connection doesn’t come from screens or headlines — it comes from shared experiences, from nature, from being fully present. I’ve guided people from all over the country, and without fail, they leave a little lighter than when they arrived. That’s the power of Maine’s wild places.

I have a recommendation for those feeling overwhelmed by the news, the politics or the weight of it all: get outside! Book a rafting trip, take a hike, sit by a lake, walk a quiet trail. There is healing all around us in this state. We just have to make time to go find it.

We are lucky to call this place home. Let’s not forget to soak it in.

Billy-Joe Smith
Standish