Weather Forecast: mid-80s, mostly sunny on Tuesday, 50% chance of rain on Wednesday.
As we move this class toward closure and the farm moves toward our first CSA harvest, I'd like to revisit Robin Wall Kimmerer's teachings on gratitude and honorable harvest. John and I are deeply grateful to have gotten to know each of you during this course. You've helped us with our spring work, lightening our load and relieving our sore muscles. You've taught us lots of new things (and new words like "entomophagy") and inspired us to reflect more deeply on the work that we do and its relationship to the world. I think the most important gift you've given us, though, is hope. Your willingness to open your minds and hearts to us and to each other, to ask hard questions with gentleness and grace, and to think deeply about your relationships to both the human and non-human beings with whom we share this planet (and your relationships to yourselves as well!) affirms for us the beautiful potential within humans. Thank you for sharing your beauty with us this quarter.
Here's an 18-minute video of a TED talk by Kimmerer in which she talks about one of our first crops of the season and its teachings about giving, receiving, and gratitude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz1vgfZ3etE
If you feel so moved, consider responding with a comment about something or someone you feel grateful for in your life right now.
I think that has to be my life's goal, now: abide always by the principles of the honorable harvest. There are such good lessons to be learned through any of the many components of such a lifestyle, and allowing them to be the guiding philosophy behind your actions will make you a better person in all regards. It's genius, really, and I am glad you've asked us to flex one of those tenants, gratitude, in our response.
ReplyDeleteI am currently very grateful for my father. He's going to be 59 this year, and he has experienced more change and tragedy and joy in his life than I could ever dream of. I am especially grateful for this man today (not only because he was a Navy SEAL and today is Memorial Day) because, even when his job requires nearly all of his hours, waking and sleeping, to be devoted to the management and responsibility of people I will never meet, he always makes time for me. I have been having a truly awful quarter, and it's all I can do to make it out of bed most days, so he makes it a point to check in and send words of advice/encouragement whenever he can.
Today, I received: "Just remember my poster in the garage [his favorite - a huge, black-and-white photo of Gandhi that he often sources as inspiration]. Live like you will die tomorrow learn like you will live forever. Life is great and learning doesn't have to be academic but it is life long. Remember graduation is a commencement because you will commence your lifelong journey in the way that works for you. Take time for yourself every day. I love you and if you need to talk call me. If you want Matthew [younger brother and best friend] and I can come down for brunch. Your call. We'll be there." This is followed by the heart, kissing face, and high five emojis, evidence of the art form he has recently picked up and is really enjoying testing out.
He's a great dude. I love and respect the hell out of him. I can't wait to get so spend more time with him this summer and learn more of what he has to teach me :)