Play Hookie with Me?
Hi Big Team—
Where I come from, we call the kind of weather that many of us are experiencing this week “fool’s spring,” i.e. the first unseasonably warm days of the year that trick you into the thinking that winter is over when it definitely isn’t. I’ve been beelining for the out-of-doors all week, trying to soak up as much vitamin D as humanly possible before everything goes gloomy and cold again. I continue to be amazed by how much, as the pandemic continues, the weather is my mood-determiner, but I’ve decided to stop questioning it and just lean in.
All that to say, I sat down multiple times this week to write this email. I actually have a couple of good ideas that I’m excited to write about, but every time I did, I was overwhelmed by the desire to not be in front of my computer if I could be outside instead.
That’s okay (I say to the many different anxiety voices that are screaming that it’s definitely not okay).
It’s okay because all the work that we’re doing here; sharing information about food and agriculture reformation, celebrating minority farm art, debating the future, all of that work is in service of one day living in a safer, kinder, and more just world. And the point of building that world, at the end of the day, is to bring happiness, joy, and peace more within reach for more people. Achieving that end cannot require us to sacrifice every bit of happiness, joy, and peace that we have— the work is to find a balance of both.
So I didn’t write the newsletter. Instead, I wanted to extend this invitation to everyone in this community. During the time you would normally spend reading this long-ass email; take a walk, open a window, touch some tree bark, swirl some dirt with your finger tips, find a puddle and see what’s going on in there, pay attention to the birds, or stare at the clouds. If fools spring is still in effect where you live, let the sun see your beautiful skin today. Live for a day or two longer like its actual spring. It’s good practice in taking action despite doubt and finding joy despite the shadow of pain, which are muscles we need to strengthen to achieve our ends. Because what we’re doing here; living, learning, and building community as if things can actually change, that requires a degree of foolishness, too.
Happy Fools Spring to you, dear friends, and if you need a laugh, take a listen to this gem, contributed to the newsletter by Elizabeth Zipf:
Rock on, y’all,
Sarah