Where do I begin? It took me a week+ to post this because I wanted to collect my thoughts and not undervalue an exceptional experience I had last Friday.
442 miles north northeast... a package, prepared in modest human kindness, left the hands of a stranger... now a friend... bound for this humble hamlet.
The story begins with a phone call from a good friend that I had lost contact with. The funny thing about maintaining friendships is that I used to think that it required both people to be equally invested in the relationship at all times.
not so.
Sometimes one person has to hold up both bottles of soda while the other one ties his shoes. Nevertheless, this friend has a friend that he recently introduced to the growahouse movement.
But let me not digress.... back to the package.
The friend of the friend, sent me a box containing 4 jars of organically grown jellies from her fall harvest accompanied by an impassioned letter signed eloquently...
..."from one global neighbor to another."
A few days out of town coupled with a necessarily hectic work-work/house-work week has left me exhausted... but I have not forgotten about you. I have thought about your inspired/delicious gift continuously.
Foremost... gratitude. I am thankful that our indirect communication compelled you to action. In our lives, we are surrounded with an abundance of potential inspirations... which ones if any will catalyze us into action? I am also grateful that your momentum reconnected me with a good friend. (evidence of the collateral effects of kindness)
I opened the fed ex package and I was completely overwhelmed with the simple excellence of your contribution.
Not far from growahouse is a large heavily wooded park with a community garden. I thought before that acquiring a plot might be an interesting opportunity. I am now convinced. I believe that pursuing this organic path will not only give me a tactile understanding of the merits of patiently living off the land counter to a culture of "right now," but it will also be a fitting extension of your positive energy.
I would love to talk to you about what to grow... what fruits and vegetables will nourish the body that nourishes this house?