Love your work Diane!
I've read many of your articles and had once been very active on ic.org.
I refer many to that site and the splendid info there. I admire what you and your staff have done.
I've recently found a few friends here in the Ozarks who are burnt out on 'community' mostly because of the folks who have burned them.
Paper Towel people. You know the sort. They rip you off, use you and then throw you away. They use and abuse and have a disposable attitude when it comes to relationships.
Well, not knowing this, I was talking about 'community' and the hurts came to the surface. It was ugly as I saw the pain. So, I stopped sharing, for a bit.
Then, I realized something. After many weeks of helping on the farm here, expecting nothing in return, I came to give not take. We've been busy clearing pastures of some trees, need the firewood anyways. Today we were pickin' rocks out of the pasture after it had been plowed and planted for next years feed. After a few hours my back told me that I wasn't in my 30's anymore!
So, after thinking about what my friend had said about those who came before me, I explained, "Michael, I'm not asking for community from you...... I am offering community TO you."
That's all that needed to be said. We went back to pickin' rocks.
But I expect that he's thinkin' about it, fer sure.
Welcome to the forum Diane!
I do believe this is my first post!
