I suppose I’ll let this cat out of the bag: early in 2025, I came very close to moving. It wasn’t driven by dissatisfaction with where I am, but by a compelling work opportunity in a city I’ve long dreamed of living in. In the end, it fell through, and I found out on my birthday. Major womp womp.
At first, I was really sad. But with a bit of distance, I’ve come to feel deeply grateful. When I look at the entirety of 2025, I realize I lived a very particular kind of year — one I would not have had otherwise.
This summer in Ann Arbor, I — as Gen Z says — left no crumbs. I barely traveled. Instead, I created wonderful experiences at home, with adventures alongside friends, long bike rides, new restaurants, and time spent immersed in nature. I set a simple intention to make a memory every day, and I kept a list of those memories. It wasn’t that every day needed something monumental, but I wanted at least one moment I could return to later and say, “Remember when we…” or “Remember when I…?” Some days that meant trying a new coffee shop. Other days it meant special meals or small adventures with people I love.
Likewise, there was so much to celebrate in my work this year. In 2025, I was able to do a dream project with the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan, reimagining how we offer support-group-style care and creating new pockets of community across Southeast Michigan. We received a grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan that allowed us to launch a pilot project called Synergy Support Circles.
This work involved training peer leaders to offer in-person support in restaurants and coffee shops throughout the Detroit region. These circles formed around shared geography, identity, affinity, or activities. We trained eight leaders, and rather than dictating what groups should exist, we baked creativity into the training itself. That’s how seven uniquely named groups emerged — each becoming a hub of friendship and connection for people with epilepsy. The grant also provided transportation support so people could actually get to one another and participate.
Now we’re poised to spread this care model to other parts of the state. We serve the entire geographic region of Michigan, and many people with epilepsy don’t drive. Historically, for these reasons, our support groups have been virtual. They’ve also been staff-led. With peer leaders, we can do so much more. With in-person options, we can connect in a new way.
Personally, I loved the year I had. I’ve grieved what has been unfolding in our national life. Project 2025 has caused real harm for many, and even when I’m not directly impacted, I feel that weight too. Yet alongside all of that, I’m deeply grateful for a year that simply would not have existed had I packed up and moved.
Sometimes the roads we don’t take still carry us somewhere important. They root us more deeply where we are. They surprise us with friendships, work, joy, and meaning we couldn’t have planned. I experienced that this year, and I’m grateful.
—Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 