Dear Reader,

I have a fear of heights.

And I don’t mean, “Oh, I’m a little nervous.” I mean the kind of fear that has caused me to panic and almost completely shut down, both physically and mentally, at times.

But I have also tried very hard not to let that fear make my decisions for me.

In high school, I was lucky enough to travel to Europe. Visiting the top of the Eiffel Tower had always been a dream of mine, but the reality was terrifying. I made it, although it required a death grip on my friend Sara (I left bruises...sorry Sara!) and several stops to hyperventilate along the way.

A little over a decade ago, I created a list of things I wanted to challenge myself to do. The two scariest were skydiving, which I did and will absolutely never do again, and riding in a hot-air balloon, which I did and could possibly be convinced to do again.

Then, this past weekend, we took Elliott to the Sears Tower (yes, forever Sears Tower for me) Skydeck. And I walked onto The Ledge.

For anyone unfamiliar, The Ledge consists of all-glass balconies extending outside the 103rd floor of the building. When you step onto one, there is nothing but glass between you and the streets far, far below.

It was scary. I knew it would be scary. I also knew I wanted to do it.

As I waited for my turn and then stepped onto that glass, I kept thinking about my new favorite book, which I read on vacation: Shonda Rhimes’ Year of Yes.

She writes, “Saying yes is courage. Saying yes is the sun. Saying yes is life.”

That does not mean saying yes is always easy—or that courage somehow makes fear disappear.

I think we often imagine courage as something bold, confident, and fearless. But most of the courage I have witnessed does not look like that at all.

Sometimes courage looks like taking the next step while your hands are still shaking.

It looks like a parent asking for help because a high-risk pregnancy or NICU stay has made it impossible to keep up with the bills. It looks like sharing the name of a baby who died, even when you do not know how someone will respond. It looks like admitting that you are overwhelmed instead of pretending you can carry everything alone.

And sometimes it looks like another person saying yes in return.

Yes, I will listen.

Yes, I will show up.

Yes, I will help.

That is what happens through The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation every day. Families say yes to allowing us into some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Verification providers say yes to helping them complete the process. Donors and supporters say yes to making sure assistance is there when rent, utilities, transportation, phone bills, or funeral expenses cannot wait.

CLTF itself began with a yes, although it certainly did not feel brave or clear at the time. After Colette died, we said yes to taking the next step. Then another. Then another.

Those yeses have now helped us provide more than $2.1 million in direct financial assistance to over 4,200 families nationwide.

I am still afraid of heights. Walking onto The Ledge did not magically change that.

But maybe courage is not about eliminating the fear. Maybe it is about deciding that the fear does not get the final word.

So, what might you say yes to today?

With gratitude,

Michelle

Sending a special thank you to our sponsors for Night at the Races on October 22, 2026! Buy tickets and sponsorships here

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