A Gift from Helene

Published about 1 month ago • 2 min read

Hello, Friend!

This past Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene. How perfect that it coincided with one of our community days on the farm.

Hurricane Helene -- or "the flood", as many around here refer to it -- impacted us in ways that were devastating and awful (in all senses of the word). And yet, when we discussed over snacks on Saturday what we would want to express to Mother Nature on that day, most of what came up was gratitude.

Gratitude for the resilience of nature.

Gratitude for the rebuilding and healing happening all around us.

And so much gratitude for community.

Gratitude for Annie, Rina, David, Deb, and Rayana!

To experience the way we all immediately came together after the storm to rescue, feed, house, comfort, organize, inform, and serve and connect in countless other ways was a gift. We now know a greater potential of community than many of us had realized (however much we might have wanted it) could actually be possible.

And you can't un-know things like that.

Though the collective intensity of that time has passed, a more tightly woven fabric of connection remains. Our Walnut farmer's market feels a little more heartfelt than before. The re-openings of businesses are truly joyful celebrations. Food pantries and other support systems still continue to welcome and provide for those in need (and there are many).

In our hyper-individualized, full-of-distractions society here in the U.S., building community can feel like too much effort to take on. Yeah, we know it's important to connect with others, but it often gets pushed down the list of priorities. It may feel more comfortable to stay in and watch a movie than gather for dinner with friends, or host a gathering, or attend a fundraising event, or try out an interesting Meetup group, or volunteer for a cause you care about, or just get outside and chat with your neighbors. But it's really worth it.

Being in community is investing not only in your own well-being, but in the well-being of all of us.

As we navigate into an increasingly uncertain future, the bonds of community are crucial. May we be there for each other not only in times of widespread disaster, but in all of the times.