One consequence of this is that we have sacrificed the sacredness of our environment as well as of each other. It seems now that destroying the earth and possibly even our neighbors both at home and in our global community has become merely collateral damage for businesses to ‘reach the top.’

In an economy where wages are stuck in low gear, many workers are living in a climate of fear, with cases of physical violence during work. These people have become a disposable commodity, a tool in the machine of our Capitalist society. Whole communities have become marginalized and tossed to the wayside, with little to no concern for their nourishment.

The other consequence is the phenomenon of Food Deserts, areas that have a high number of fast food options and no healthy choices. The lower we travel down the socioeconomic ladder, the less options we see for fresh food in one’s immediate community.

People practice food justice by bringing urban gardens to these food deserts. This leads to more strong local food systems, self-reliant communities and a healthier environment. Many people do not see this direct correlation to our own health and the health of our environment. Therefore denying these communities of these tools for sustainable living is to ensure they remain dependent both socially and financially.

The Food Project aims to identify and transform a new generation of leaders by placing teens in unusually responsible roles, with deeply meaningful work. We see a common theme here between these urban farms and the experience of the South Central Farmers. These people are not only involving themselves in social change but deep personal change as well through a connection with something greater, their environment and their community.

To place something of meaning in the hands of someone who has nothing and then steal it away, is to say they are not deserving of a meaningful life. As one of the South Central farmer states, “For me it’s the story of life. For what are we without the land? Try planting on cement and you get nothing.” Most of us are so detached from the food we eat, that this statement would mean nothing to us. But do you ever think about where the food filling your plate was grown?

This sacredness of the land goes deeper than the nutrition it provides. Another farmers reflects, “If I went to your community and I took down your temple, your church, that’s what we’re talking about. These are our sacred things.” When we take away what is sacred to a community, or we deny them of it from the beginning, we are denying them a soul.

Another theme we are seeing in The Food project is a call for more transparency in business and government policies. Some consider these protective laws as necessary for competition between businesses. However, with a lack of transparency in business procedures we find a multitude of inhumane and unethical methods of manufacturing and producing foods.

More transparency would allow for more conscious and informed consumers. I believe we have the right to know where our food is coming from and the hands that have touched it. The more local we demand our food to be, the more transparency we begin to see in the hands it passes through.

Isn’t it time to end these disposable times?

By this I don’t mean to say we should be numb to our emotions or life in general, but rather make use of our ability to turn any negative situation into a positive, to keep a positive outlook no matter the circumstance, to constantly embrace happiness and dismiss negativity.

There are some sadnesses in life that we can not avoid, destruction that blind sides us. But what can be said for the avoidable? We can choose the moods we inhabit and the thoughts we sit with. Why then is it so ridiculous to think that we can simply choose uplifting moods and positive thoughts?

Maybe, after all it is not that it is so unimaginable to think this way, but rather that we just don’t know how, or maybe we are scared? And if we are scared, what are we so scared of?

Simple – The unknown.

Lately, this feeling of immense fear has been coming over me. And I like to think, from my experience living with my own emotions, that this means I am on the verge of a break through. We all get overwhelmed, and we all break down. But sometimes we are so busy breaking down that we ignore what’s right in front of us- an opportunity. In order to turn our “break downs” into “break throughs,” we must understand this: We will never experience change without a little bit of friction.

“Change means movement. Movement means friction.” – Alinsky, Saul

We can even be scared to accept positive change in our lives. Any change brings with it the unknown, and the unknown can be scary indeed. The “what ifs” alone can swallow us whole if we let them.

I’ve learned that by accepting change into my life, even the smallest things can have a great impact in your life. And it seems every experience brings just as much friction as the last. And so, I’ve come to learn that the point is not to avoid the friction, but rather to accept it, confusing as it may be sometimes. If life is a series of mistakes and lessons, we have nothing to lose by trying.

To paraphrase:
1. Accept that friction is a necessary biproduct of any change, positive or negative.
2. Accept positive change anyway.

After you’ve answered all these questions for yourself… then ask, so what do will I do with this answer? It’s up to you to be happy. And asking the right questions is the first step…

It seemed like the longer I went without blogging, the harder it was to start back up. The more ground I began to lose, the more ground it seemed I had to cover. But as (someone) has said, it’s not so much where we start that matters but simply that we do at all.

After graduating this past May and moving back home, the adjustment period has been (or at least seems to have been) long and slow. I’ve been practicing patience, both with myself and with those around me, and the patience to be present with where I am now.

I’m still practicing these things. I’m right in the thick of it all, and I’m ready to get back on the horse and share my journey. Hopefully we can all learn a little something new every day. After all, if we’re not here to learn something, what are we here for?

Stay tuned and see you soon!

P.S. I truly appreciated all your sweet e-mails while I disappeared. It gave me a push to get back on here and get at you all!

- Richard Dawkins

One thing I’ve learned: Life is not a movie. As long as you think it should be a movie, you will always be disappointed. Life is better than a movie. It’s more exciting. It’s more real.

As long as we see life as it “should” be (according to us or someone else), we can never appreciate it for what it is. How will you ever see the beauty before you if you can only see what is missing?

The Challenges:

• To let go of what we want for others, who we want them to be, and let them show us their selves. Love them for who they are, today, not who we want them to be tomorrow.
• To know the difference between what we can control and what we can’t.
• To find a balance between living both actively and reflectively at once.
• To be open to what is to come.

Does it scare you that you will not be able to visit me when I am dead?
Are you afraid you will not know where to find me if you try and look?
Do you find it unsettling to think of me after I am no longer with you?
Don’t fear my passing. I will not be gone.
Don’t look for me. I will not be found in one place.
I am in the depths of your breath and the warmth of your skin.
You should not feel unsettled,
but rather peaceful, in knowing that you will never be alone.
You won’t need to keep a picture of me
or hoard my belongings in boxes. Those things are not me.
If you want to know me, know yourself.
If you want to remember me, remember yourself.
If you want to love me, love yourself.

I wrote this piece back in June while in Manhattan. I actually wasn’t inspired by death when I wrote the poem, but rather only my own precious life and those of my loved ones. It wasn’t until just yesterday, after the passing of a friend, that I reread my own words and felt the truth behind them resonate. If you’ve ever lost someone, especially of a young age, you know what a great difficulty it can be to make sense of.

I think during times of grief or loss, we so often feel alone and isolated, trapped inside our own pain and anger. During these times, we can be impossible to reach, even when surrounded by people. But death is something that we all will bear witness to and experience throughout our life, whether young or old. It is the only certainty that we all must face. What I am learning, day by day, is that we can find peace of mind in knowing that we don’t have to face it alone.

“Oh heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower withers, but the seed remains.” - Kahlil Gibran