Joselin Matkins 1978-2021

15 Jan Joselin Matkins 1978-2021

15 January 2021

By David Allen, Development for Conservation

The unwelcome news arrived in an email on Tuesday afternoon:

Joselin Matkins, an accomplished land trust Executive Director from Idaho, took her own life on Friday, January 8^th. She was 42 years old.

Land trust director found deceased

I had to go back and look, but Joselin was one of my first clients after deciding to go full-time into consulting in 2009. She was smart, perceptive, energetic, driven, and accomplished. Vibrantly alive. That she is now gone is unimaginable.

Years ago, my wife and I were in a car accident. The person who hit us ran a stop sign into a busy intersection. The civil matter was settled several months later in arbitration and the other party was deemed to have been 100% at fault.

I’ll never forget what the arbitrator said at that time. “You have an obligation to see what’s there,” he told her.

We are collectively at a place and a time where we need to see what’s there. We need to look for stop signs.

People who are struggling.

People who are isolated.

People who are under stress.

People who are alone.

Joselin was 42 years old. I obviously don’t know the specific circumstances, and the analogy is far from perfect. But those were the words that came back to me when I learned of Joselin’s death: you have an obligation to see what’s there.

And apparently, we – collectively – missed it.

How can we take better care of each other?

How many others in our community are similarly struggling?

How many others are under stress?

How many others are isolated and alone?

And maybe most importantly is our own gut check. How am I doing? Where am I on the spectrum?

I have some thoughts, but frankly, I am having trouble processing. So, I turned to the person who shared the news with me – a person for whom I have enormous respect, who also knew Joselin, and who enjoys a similar position as an accomplished land trust Executive Director – Carol Abrahamzon at Mississippi Valley Conservancy.

Here are her thoughts:

Joselin’s death brought past thoughts tumbling back to me. Thoughts I’ve been too busy to visit – too busy to – think about.

As I sat alone, in my remote, home office, I was moved to tears when the Land Trust Alliance’s President, Andrew Bowmen said in his parting remarks during Rally this past October, “I’d like to make a request of all land trust board members, please take care of your executive directors”.

Until that moment, I didn’t even know I needed someone to take care of me.

We bear a tremendous burden of stress on our shoulders and rarely do we have time to even think about the weight of those responsibilities – but in that moment – as the tears flowed – it hit me. Wow, this past year more than ever, just wow.

We all know that saying: “it’s lonely at the top.”

Land trust executives need to be taken care of just as they take care of their people. And we can be – need to be – a part of that circle of care. I encourage fellow executive directors to reach out to one another right now, today.

1. Form a state or regional executive director support group. This is easy-peasy with ZOOM .
2. Set a reoccurring day to come together for an hour every month or two, just to talk and to listen to one another. Don’t be tempted to skip out because you are busy – you need each other.
3. Be the shoulder someone needs one in the moment.
4. Ask for a shoulder when you need one.

Our work is so important, but we are even more important. It’s time we care for ourselves and care for one another.

– – Carol Abrahamzon

Tomorrow starts a three-day weekend for many of us, and I have a request.

Spend a little time looking for hidden stop signs. Now is not a time for blowing past them. Now is a time for paying attention.

1. Think about the people you know – the people in your orbit. Who is likely to be alone this weekend? (Joselin died on a Friday.) Who might benefit from a call or an invitation to a ZOOM cocktail? Or just a friendly check-in?
2. If someone calls you, don’t take it personally. We need each other right now, and more than most of us truly realize. Let’s agree that being there for each other is important. Allowing others to also be there for us is part of that importance.
3. And if you are someone who is isolated and struggling, reach out. Find someone to call.

I’ll also invite you to leave your comments and remembrances below and ask that you pass this along to those you care about.

Remember that you are part of a community that stretches across the entire nation – land trusts in every nook and cranny filled with people with common values who know that the land is the answer. People who care.

Now is the time for each of us to see what’s there.

Rest in Peace, Joselin. May your memory be a blessing.

-da

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255.

PS: Your comments on these posts are welcomed and warmly requested. If you have not posted a comment before, or if you are using a new email address, please know that there may be a delay in seeing your posted comment. That’s my SPAM defense at work. I approve all comments as soon as I am able during the day.

Photo by George Becker courtesy of Stocksnap.io.