When I was a child, I was fascinated by the idea of circuses. Years later, when my oldest son was just four, I splurged on tickets for us to see the famous Moscow Circus. It wasn’t quite the circus he or I expected—we were disappointed when there turned out to be no exotic animals or clowns—but there was plenty of glitter and glitz, a lot of it overwhelming.
The spectacle of acrobats and trapeze artists tumbling through space held his attention for a while, but then it all seemed too chaotic, and we headed out. But even after we’d left, I was transfixed, and my adrenaline was flowing. That moment when that person, high above our heads, released their hold on the trapeze bar, and hurtled across space…such fear, such trust, such foolery! Time seemed to freeze. Did I remember to breathe? Did they? There was no going back, only forward, a wild swing across a vast chasm, no safety net below, a leap of faith that something would emerge to grab on to. The adrenaline of suspension across empty space. The triumph of such bravery!
I don’t know about you, but right now, I feel like I am flying across that very same chasm of uncertainty. My stomach is often in a knot. I am less than thrilled about what many of us today are calling a circus: the chaotic dismantling of so much of what we have trusted in, believed in, and worked hard for. As the federal government terminates or freezes billions of dollars in research funding across the country, we’re hearing from countless people who feel like they’ve been pushed off their trapeze or are swinging, dangerously, without a net. Our friends and colleagues are suffering with their life’s work halted, promising findings shelved, and long-time collaborators fired. This is not the show we wanted to see.
There’s so much more happening, too, from the removal of environmental policies to cuts to Medicaid to the injustice of ignoring the health of our planet. For many around the country and around the world, this feels a lot like falling.
I think in the face of it all, we must lean into the uncertainty and embrace hope. I often call on this analogy of the trapeze artist when I face times of transition in my own life. Periods of change are scary, and collectively, this sure feels like a big one. All we have known is tumbling behind us and what is to come is unclear. But what inspires me about the analogy is that adrenaline rush of emerging possibilities when cast into this liminal space between points of perceived normalcy. Is this the moment when we can be—must be—most alive and most brave? Is this the moment that opens us up to inspired action?
It is not foolish to believe, to know, that we can and will do better. Being a trapeze artist doesn’t require superhuman strength, just good aim, good timing, deep trust, and the bravery to keep our eyes, hearts, and minds open and our hands reaching out.
We call Nova “a heart-centered think-tank that takes action” for the health and flourishing of all people, communities, and the planet we call home. We trust that from our diverse perspectives, respectful deep listening, and collaborative spirit, a new and better world is possible. Our network of Scholars, Fellows, and Invited Faculty is leaning into this belief. Researchers are asking questions, probing for the facts, and publishing in academic journals and the popular press despite credible threats of retribution. Scientists are producing real-world data and fighting for it in order to transform the lives of children. Health care professionals in the midst of a failing system are creating hopeful new models of person-centered health care. Our Media Fellows, who are inspired storytellers, are unraveling the complex truth, waking us up to the consequences of actions and policies, and sharing new possibilities. I’m more grateful than ever for the unshakeable courage of our Nova community.
At Nova, our hands are stretched out across the chasm of this moment. We welcome others to join our network and create more networks of networks where empathy, compassion, justice, and love are the values at the heart of all we do.
Professor Brian Berman, MD
President and Founder, Nova Institute for Health
Professor Emeritus, Family and Community Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine
