Some Thoughts About How to Respond to These Times

      Some Thoughts About How to Respond to These Times

As the war clouds were gathering in the early 1940’s my father’s father, the New York sales manager for Heywood Wakefield Furniture  (now a small bit of New England history) a manufacturer for well built wooden home and office furniture, made some preparations.  He had seen the shortages of World War I.  He bought 50 pounds of sugar for my Grandmother’s pies and homemade jams, and several gallons of maple syrup. He bought a new car and made sure his home and affairs were in order.  He had a big garden and fruit trees, berries and an asparagus patch. 

My Dad told my brother, his grandchildren and I this story often and I think it contains some good advice for the times we face now.  It may not be sugar that we will need in the future, but now is the time to think along these lines within our own means and situations.  I want to be sure my teeth are all up to date, and I am working to get off the medication that I no longer need to take.  The house is well insulated and we had an energy audit and did what they suggested.  We have been going to All Souls Church since the election and I am very glad that InterPlay is part of my life among many other people, connections,  and places.

    Here are my suggestions:

1.    Nurture relationships and connections to community, family, friends and coworkers.

2.    Build fun, creativity and play into your life!

3.    Find places in nature nearby to comfort and inspire you.

4.    Give your body a check up and tune up.

5.    The same for your house, financial situation and cars.

6.    Consider your soul and how to nurture and take care of it.

7.    Connect with and support local sources of food like your garden, CSA, food coop, local farmers, and community gardens.

8.    Balance taking care of yourself and those closest to you with finding ways that suit you to respond with life and love to the challenges of our times as you see them.