My family calls me Pancho and many of you don't know me, but I'd like you to know that I love you all.
During the circle of sharing of "aha moments" many people were moved to share quotes. I followed the momentum and shared some insights from a renown permaculturist. The timing of this passage with the visit of citizen of the World hermano Roberto Pérez Riveiro couldn't have been better. Permaculture is about respecting the Earth, respecting the peoples of the Planet and sharing the surplus. Fueled by creativity and courage, the work of this brother is an inspiring example of the power of community and how they survived peak oil.
Hermano Roberto visited the Free Farm and later he gave a talk in the Secret Garden at the Mission in San Francisco. There, in an outdoor classroom showered by the shadow of a plum tree, he stressed the importance of food sovereignty and shared with us that people in the part of the Planet we call Cuba spend 75% of their income on healthy food; school gardens are maintained by the whole community, which also has access to the school's computers. While they have some of the best doctors on the Planet they don't have medicines because most of the pharmaceutical corporations are still under the influence of the U.S. blockade. This forced doctors to rely more on complementary and alternative medicine, herbal medicine also called "Green Medicine". Now their health care system is producing a population that is as healthy as those of the world's "wealthiest countries" at a fraction of the cost.
Later that week, hermano Roberto visited us at the Sustainable Living Center in Oakland. There, we asked him what were 3 things he would tell to enthusiastic young people and in general to the people of the movement. This were his 3 (paraphrasing) points:
1. Get Together
2. Baby Steps
3. Celebrate
1. Get Together
It is time to understand the interconnectedness of all our work, he said. Permaculture, social justice, healthy food, independent media, preventive medicine, anti-war campaigns, education... you name it, all is part of th same movement. It doesn't matter in which of these projects we are working, the power of community lies in sharing our gifts and strength with one another. We are not alone. We just need to figure out what's our role in the largest movement humanity has ever seen.
2. Baby Steps
Small is not only beautiful but fundamental. Don't try to "save the World". As overwhelming as it might seem -- with genetically modified organisms invading our ecosystems, nuclear reactors polluting our home for generations, climate change, wars and poverties of all kind-- the radical changes supporting the web of life start small. We are following those steps: one person at a time, one garden at a time.
3. Celebrate
Don't forget that we are in the right side of history. Our joy and small victories need to be celebrated with humility and in community. It is because of people like you that humanity still thriving.
In other words, the (r)evolution is fun! It is incredible how the CF ecosystem, in general, embodies all these principles. Loving Wednesdays, in particular, are an ode to the emergence of the new paradigm. Once again, I was touched to the core to witness how in community, focus on the small, we all cultivate the heart each week at the home of this (r)evolutionary family to give birth to more collective wisdom.
May all become compassionate, courageous and wise.
On Apr 11, 2011 Pancho wrote :
My family calls me Pancho and many of you don't know me, but I'd like you to know that I love you all.