Connection, Connection, Connection: What Suicide Prevention Month Means to Us
Every September, communities across the country pause to talk more openly about something that's often met with silence: suicide. This year's national theme — Stronger Together: Connect. Support. Prevent. — feels close to home for us at Surf the Earth. Connecting, supporting, and preventing are all part of who we are and what we do.
Connect. Support. Prevent.
We believe in all three. Connection reminds people they aren't alone. Support means showing up for each other in real, ongoing ways. Prevention means paying attention, learning the signs, and knowing where to turn — before a crisis, not just during one. Each piece matters, and together they're what Suicide Prevention Month is all about.
This community carries Ali's memory, and with it, the phrase she returned to again and again: "Connection, connection, connection." Research backs her up, too. Feeling genuinely connected to other people is one of the strongest protective factors we have against suicide. Not a cure-all. Not a guarantee. But a real, meaningful piece of the picture.
That's a big part of why MindAligned Meetups exist. Every gathering — online or in person — is a small act of connection. A reminder that showing up as a real human, in a room (or a Zoom square) full of other real humans, matters.
Rock Painting: A Small Act With a Big Ripple
You wouldn't necessarily think a paint pen and a rock could play a role in suicide prevention — but connection can start almost anywhere, and that's exactly the point.
Every rock painted through our Kindness Gardens Initiative carries a message: you matter, you are loved, you are not alone. Those rocks find a home in our Kindness Gardens — sacred spaces growing in Boyne District Library, Petoskey, at Boyne City High School, and in other communities around us. Each garden becomes a place people can visit, add to, and simply sit with — a quiet, visible reminder that this community is thinking of one another.
Painting alongside others also does its own quiet work: it's unstructured, low-pressure time together — no agenda, no need to talk about anything heavy — which is often exactly the kind of connection that helps people feel less alone.
Upcoming Rock Painting Events
Kindness Rock Painting — Petoskey Sunday, September 6 | 12:45–2:00 PM
Inspiring Inner Growth Yoga, 231 State St., Petoskey
Drop-in, no MindAligned attendance required. Ages 13+ (13–15 with an adult, 16+ independently).
Kindness Rocks for Hope — 988 Day Tuesday, September 8 | 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
North Central Michigan College, 1515 Howard Street, Petoskey
A full day of rock painting on 988 Day itself — timed intentionally to connect our community to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Paint Kindness Rocks at Harvest Fest Saturday, September 26 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
Boyne City Downtown, 127 Water Street
Join us at the Harvest Fest kindness rock table — bring the whole family.
Paint Kindness Rocks — Boyne Falls Community Expo Thursday, October 8 | 3:00–6:00 PM
Boyne Falls Public School: A community expo stop for our traveling kindness rock table.
Kindness Rock Painting — Petoskey Sunday, October 11 | 12:45–1:45 PM
Inspiring Inner Growth Yoga, 231 State St., Petoskey
Drop-in, no MindAligned attendance required. Ages 13+ (13–15 with an adult, 16+ independently).
All rock painting events are free and open to the community — no registration required. For all our current events, please go to https://www.surftheearthmhc.com/events
Practices That Support Everyday Balance
This fall, our MindAligned Meetups are exploring the seven chakras through our Body's Energy series — simple, traditional practices tied to different parts of our wellbeing: safety, creativity, confidence, connection, expression, intuition, and awareness. These aren't a treatment or a fix. They're small, everyday tools — breathwork, movement, journaling, community — that can help us feel a little more grounded and in tune with ourselves.
Think of them less as answers and more as check-ins: a few minutes to notice how you're actually doing, and a few tools to help you feel steadier when things feel heavy.
When It's More Than a Rough Day
Grounding practices can genuinely help with everyday stress. If you or someone you love is having thoughts of suicide, or is struggling more than a breathing exercise or a rock-painting afternoon can hold — please reach out for more support.
You don't have to be in crisis to call or text 988. Your reason is reason enough.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org, anytime, day or night.
How You Can Show Up This Month
You don't need special training to make a difference this September. A few small things go a long way:
Check in on someone. A simple "How are you, really?" can open a door.
Listen without trying to fix it. Sometimes the most supportive thing is just staying present.
Learn the warning signs. Withdrawal, hopelessness, and sudden mood shifts are worth paying attention to.
Join us. Come to a MindAligned Meetup, paint a rock for the Kindness Garden, or just say hello. Connection starts small.
Come As You Are
We'll be here this September and beyond — online and in person in Petoskey, and out in the community at Harvest Fest and the Boyne Falls Expo — holding space for real conversation, real humans, and real connection. Meetup dates vary month to month, so check our events page for what's coming up next. No pressure, no expectations. Just an open door.
"Connection, connection, connection." — Ali P.
With Gratitude and Love,
Tammy Patrick
MindAligned Meetups are community wellness gatherings — not therapy or mental health treatment. Our facilitators are not licensed therapists. These sessions are a beautiful complement to professional care, but not a replacement for it. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a licensed provider, or call or text 988 anytime — the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7.