The tale of
OUR TIME
BY LAURA JUSTIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness.” — CHARLES DICKENS, A TALE OF TWO CITIES
This quote has been rattling around in my head for weeks now. Does it resonate with you as well? Echoing back through the ages, 161 years later it feels like it could have been written on this very day. Although our storyline is unrelated to the book, the same feeling and dichotomy rules our time. On one hand we are suffering and struggling, worried and untethered.
We’ve probably all had those moments of discomfort. We are searching for the best path forward but we don’t have a map to navigate the route. Human beings, by and large, hate the unpredictable and crave structure. These are our challenges. This is the tale of our time. So if all that is true, why have I, and maybe you, felt light and free and happy? Doesn’t seem to make much sense. Or maybe it makes perfect sense? Surviving crisis helps us to reevaluate, appreciate and celebrate our “aliveness.” Small things are brought into larger focus. How the first strawberry or tomato of the summer tastes – Baltimore Orioles singing – sleeping with the windows open and hearing a thunderstorm rolling across the dark sky – the smell of rain on a hot day. Spending time away from people has also meant more walks in the woods, more birdwatching and animal peeking, and listening to water lap on the shore.
PHOTO BY CLARK YOUNG ON UNSPLASH
ISSUE 1, 2020
Growing your own vegetables and fruit because you finally have the time to weed and water and watch things grow a little more each day. Our work has taken on a new meaning; from where it happens and how we communicate with our members to the way we meet with landowners. This crisis has piqued a new interest in land conservation and has spurred people to investigate options they always had an intention to pursue but never found quite the right time, or time at all for that matter. What’s next? How does this end? There is no answer or solution to offer. People we care for have been lost and that might continue to happen. HeadWaters work is not a panacea to these times but we know our efforts lead to good things. We hope you feel proud about being a member of our little community. We will continue to protect the things that bring you joy. You can count on that.