"Landslide"

We met 20 year-old Oliver just outside the iconic viewpoint at Multnomah Falls, with the mist still clinging to the mountainside and the air filled with the kind of quiet that only precedes rain. The roar of the waterfall echoed softly behind us, and a train was slowly approaching, making its way through the gorge. Oliver stood at the edge of the parking lot, wrapped in a bright orange safety vest and filled the air with an openness that drew us in to learning more of their story.

When we asked what song reminded them of growing up, they thoughtfully paused, offering two. One was "Little Bug" by Army of the Navy. But the other came with more certainty: "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. They'd been listening to it since they were around six or seven, usually in their mom's old car. The lyrics didn't fully land at first, more so the melody drew them in, but the song lingered and grew in meaning with maturity and time.

Years later, Oliver says the song resonates differently. They explain that "Landslide" is about growing older, facing change, and holding both the grief and the possibility that come with it. And for someone who's been moving through their own kind of shift, it makes sense. School hadn't been the right fit for Oliver. They came home to Portland after some time in San Francisco, moved back in with family, and reset to step out on their own again. Recently, they and their partners found a new apartment, leaving behind a chaotic roommate situation in hopes of something calmer and stable.

Working as a parking lot attendant at Multnomah wasn't part of a grand plan. They just needed a job, but there was something full circle about being here. Oliver found themself back in a place they'd grown up so close to but never truly explored or appreciated. Change has always felt difficult for Oliver, but necessary. In a way, finding themself here felt like taking back time they hadn't used before, a second chance in both experience and intention.

We asked what advice they'd give to the world, it was simple: Be kind. Everyone's doing their best, they said, and kindness costs nothing.

As we walked away, the sound of water filled the air again, and the falls poured steadily along the cliffside. The moment felt like the song itself: soft, reflective, and quietly powerful. Like change, nature keeps moving, and so do we.