I apologize for seeming trivial in these stress laden times, but, no matter how confused I am after watching “the experts”pontificate about “how to get out of the mess we’re in” on television, I still experience a sense of calm and inner peace when I walk out into our yard. A beautiful deep green pepper plant is thriving near where our water hose sprang a small leak, new tomato plants are sprouting up in profusion, and trees are developing new branches that leave a new pattern of shade and light on the ground.
I usually go out in the yard looking for what I need to do next to make it more accessible for visitors who want to view our work here. I never go out into all its beauty looking for peace and calm. Yet I am always amazed at how quickly an awareness of the ability of nature to make things grow comes over me there.
I was reading an interesting letter published in Zimbio a few weeks ago about how easy it is nowadays to forget the “meaning of life” in our fast moving world. Written by a hedge fund manager who retired to get time to repair his health, which was “destroyed by the stress I layered onto myself’, he gives an insiders view of why we now need “whole” people to come on board to design a ” a forum for great minds to come together to create a new system of government that truly represents the common man’s interest, while at the same time creating rewards great enough to attract the best and brightest minds to serve in government roles without having to rely on corruption to further their interests or lifestyles. …… I believe there is an answer, but for now the system is clearly broken.” (read the entire letter here).
Our retiring hedge fund manager says that as “nearly everyone will be forgotten” we should “give up on leaving our mark, throw the Blackberry away and enjoy life”. At Home-Grown Food Network we believe that life on a low income is going to become the most common experience for millions of families in the next few years. We are committed to demonstrating sustainable lifestyles for low income families by growing food at home in urban settings with access to broadband, so that while they might not have Blackberry’s to throw away, they will retain a relationship with cyberspace balanced by a ready access to the calming influence of their own backyards!
Peter Naughton
Manager, Home-Grown Food Network
Filed under: 1, Beat the mortgage hike, Renewal, Ultra low cost housing
