Megan is away and so I am the guest columnist for this week. It’s like “deja- vu, all over again!”
A lot of things have been going on since I last spoke with you, around the world, across Canada, in our community and in my own life. Keeping up with it all can be overwhelming, stressful, sad and scary, not to mention infuriating and hopeless.
I am very aware of this but fortunately those feelings are fleeting for me. I have a brain that is on the move, drawn by the next bright shiny thing. Sort of like a crow. There are endless “shiny” things out there. It could be the sparkling ocean on a sunny day, the forest, green with ferns and moss, friends, tasty things to eat, art and music, the list goes on.
All the things that provide joy in my life. Even so, I don’t always find it easy to give myself up to it when Mother Earth and so many of her inhabitants are struggling. But I know that feeling hopeless doesn’t help, so one needs strategies. I try to remind myself to feel grateful every day. I look around my dusty, untidy house of unfinished projects, surrounded by barely tamed jungle and tell myself it is a castle. I go for ten minutes one direction to find myself in a rain forest, ten minutes the other way and I have a beach almost to myself. I tell myself (and others !) how lucky we are.
It is important to keep a perspective though. While many world events are outside of our control, we can try to be conscious and aware. On a local level being active (and pro active) within our community is a good anecdote to hopelessness. The following is a short random list of possibilities with a focus on the “shiny things” because it is, after all, summer.
I can’t go on though without first mentioning garbage and litter. I know, I know! I am a broken record but I see it as a bad symbol. Fortunately, you don’t have to hear from me every week anymore. Simply put: please do not leave your garbage and litter for others to take care of and if you notice and are able, pick it up. I have spent a little time in Japan, a country completely devoid of any litter that I could see. And get this, there are no public garbage cans! Everyone takes their litter home with them. What a concept!
Okay here is my short list and I trust you to think of others. You can find the contact info you need on the internet.
Sign up to receive Boot Tales by email – get all the information on what’s going on at the Hall, with the Community Association and the SCRD.
Write letters of protest – don’t let ambivalence get to you. Its empowering to write a letter on an issue that concerns you and every letter counts.
Enjoy Slow Sundays – starting June 29 and running through until the end of August, you can relax with your neighbours and enjoy a wide variety of local musicians.
Join One Straw – support a non-profit organization focussing on food security. Find out about year-round workshops. Visit the Tiny Farm behind the Gumboot.
Stream Keepers – these are the people that keep our streams healthy and riparian areas free of invasive species. Join work parties to help.
Creek Daze – Put August 10 on your calendar and watch out for the call for volunteers.
Mandala Painting – watch the process starting sometime in July and then participate in painting your own panel.
Food Cupboard – there are hungry people out there. Help stock the cupboard and keep it tidy.
Roberts Creek Reading Room – visit our own library for a wonderful selection of summer reads and grab a free puzzle while you are there. Attend the famous book sale on Creek Daze.
Join the xwesam/Roberts Creek Community Association – free membership. Numbers help get the grants required to operate and renovate the Hall.
Go to the Wednesday Market – it’s at the Hall and moves outside for the summer with produce vendors, food and entertainment. Support our local growers and makers.
Sign up for the Coast Cultural Alliance Calendar – receive a weekly calendar with all you need to know about events from Langdale to Egmont.
Roberts Creek Legion – be sure to check out their calendar to find out about the remarkable variety of music you can find there. Put on your dancing shoes!
There is way more than this but I have run out of space and time. Sign up for those calendars and you will know.
I hope we all have a lovely and safe summer.
Yvonne
