Maybe There's Something in the Water in Sayre Pennsylvania

It would be easy, if one were chronically online or being fed a steady diet of TikTok videos, to say that something is wrong with the youths. 

"The kids aren't alright," you would hear popular commentators say.

Maybe they are right. They likely have a long list of degrees and thousands of hours observing young adults and teenagers. And TikTok is a strange world.

Perhaps we all should be shaking in our boots to the beat of doom and gloom. 

But there must be something in the water here in Sayre, Athens, and Towanda Pennsylvania that has inoculated many of our youth from the madness of the world. They are different. Things about them are unusual and not at all what you expect if you were to go by an outside analysis. 

Dylan helped me put the puzzle together, and it has nothing to do with our water system. 

"I love my mom. I tell her everything," Dylan told me when we first talked. "She always is so kind and she always has good solutions. She's good at talking to people even if she's stressed. Even with me and my brother, she's so caring." 

That's it. That's the common thread-  a good mother. 

Good mothers shape the lives of their children more than anything else. And the role that Heather has in the life of her daughter has helped shape Dylan into a young woman who is nothing like what you'd expect from a senior in 2026. 

Dylan leads with kindness. It's her calling card. It's what she's known for. And it comes as natural as walking. 

"I say things to people because I want to make their day," Dylan said. "I say and notice things about people because it makes them happy and that makes me happy." 

Everyone feels good once they've spent time with Dylan. She encourages and includes. She has a gift of understanding how people feel and meeting them there. 

"I know what it feels like from when I was younger when you don't feel welcomed. I don't ever want someone to go home feeling not chosen." 

I've seen this kindness first hand. While photographing Dylan I brought my free spirited 12 year old daughter along to assist. And when I refer to my daughter as 'free spirited' I mean she entertained herself between shots by joyfully catching crickets. 

Was Dylan put off? 

Was she disgusted? 

Did she ignore my daughter thinking she should be more mature? 

Not even for a second. 

*Professional Note: If reading this leaves you, dear potential client, feeling uncomfortable, I understand. It is never my practice to bring my daughter along to have her galavant around catching insects. This truly was a unique, one time situation. Insects are not included in every session.*

Dylan was inquisitive and complementary, literally engaging with my daughter on her level, which is not easy given the size of the skirt Dylan was in. Dylan laughed and encouraged my daughter to have fun, to keep playing this little game, and to enjoy what she was doing. 

It was a selfless act that didn't need to happen. But Dylan made it happen. Dylan shared kindness with someone who wouldn't benefit her in any way. 

"I like kids," Dylan told me days before I photographed her, days before she met my daughter. "I like making them happy. They are so pure and all the awful things of the world haven't hit yet, so if I can bring them some joy, that's what I want to do." 

And to the life of a little homeschooled 12 year old who's got talent for frolicking, that's exactly what Dylan did. 

Dylan's compassionate nature and understanding of others is palpable. You feel it everytime you talk with her. She cares deeply. And she wants to give others a reason to be kind. 

It's depth like that that led Dylan to the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program. 

"Big Brothers and Big Sisters is such a good opportunity to be kind to kids. Sometimes this is the best relationship some of these kids get. If I can be there and let them know they can grow beyond where they are, that's what I'll do." 

And she does. Without giving away any personal information Dylan talked about how much she cares for her 'little sister'. She mentors her, guides her through the ups and downs of high school, and encourages her to make the hard right choices. 

Now, you may be worrying that amid all this kindness Dylan could get used or taken advantage of. Fear not. While Dylan is kind she is also blessed with a solid backbone, likely inherited from her wonderful parents. 

"I make sure people know what they can and can't say around me. Just because I'm nice, doesn't mean people can be mean." 

I'd like to offer a word change here: Dylan is not nice. Or at least, that's not her dominant characteristic. 

Nice is superficial. It sits on the surface as a way to bypass any friction. There is no depth in niceness. 

Dylan is kind. Kindness optimizes for long term relationships, and understanding that honesty and truth and communication, even if it's uncomfortable, has to be the bedrock of all true connection. 

Dylan has stood up to her peers, for her peers, even at the expense of friendships. She's involved adults when she's realized a situation has gone past what she can do. She's stood up for herself and for others. And ultimately, she realizes people are responsible for themselves. 

That's way more than being nice. 

That's real understanding and compassion. That is an understanding of who she is and who she can become. 

And she owes it all to her mother, Heather, who's been present and carring, patient and instructive. Heather is the final piece in the puzzle, her and her husband. A guiding light in the life of their children. 

The light that shines so brightly in Dylan exists because the brightness in her mother is so unmistakable and beautiful. 

So if you want to take a break from the chaos of being online and the mind numbing effects of the endless scroll, go meet Dylan. Go meet her friends, they come highly recommended. 

Maybe you'll see what I see, and sleep well at night knowing that at least some of the kids are, in fact, alright. 

Love, 

Melinda 

Does this story remind you of your own, or someone you love?

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