Island life...

It's so stunningly beautiful here that I've forgotten several times today that it's my birthday. I can hardly believe this place exists!

It's not just the natural beauty, the cool ocean breeze, the enchanting chorus of so many songbirds, or even the fact that I can see several mangos ripening on the tree just a few yards in front of me. The real allure is in the eyes of so many beautiful people here. Even in the big city of Honolulu everyone seems to have a soft contentment in their eyes.

It could be so easy to loose myself and become spoiled and complacent in an environment like this. I've already discovered how easy it is to adapt to swimming in the ocean and exploring lush rainforest daily (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!). It might be considered fortunate (to some) that I'm too much a glutton for punishment and damaged eco-systems to stay here.

That is not to say the islands don't have their problems. Like any place, Oahu struggles with poverty, gentrification, poor public schooling, media consolidation, crime and a litany of other issues that the unsuspecting tourist may never catch wind of -- but the issue that most concerns me is that of food production.

As it turns out, the Hawaiian Islands, despite their ideal soils, year round growing seasons and ample rain fall, is currently importing 80 - 85% of all their food. This is astounding!

It seems even paradise has a long road ahead when it comes to food security. At current consumption, the islands only have enough food for ONE week should the supply chains from the mainland ever become disrupted.  This is very bad news.

The good news? Well, much like Cuba who recently weathered a rather extreme example of what an island community can do with they become cut off from the rest of the world, Hawaii stands a very strong chance of being able to transition back toward a more sustainable balance in consumption vs. production.

It's as much about the climate here as it is about the community. Many folks already understand the dire situation they've come to find themselves in and are working to change it. The private schools are even making it their first priority to help improve the standards in the local public schools.

I feel very confidant in the island peoples ability to begin to change their circumstances and recognize the amazing gifts that are these stunning islands. It wasn't long ago that the entire island chain was entirely self-sufficient. Using a system of land division and management known as Ahupua `a the people of Hawaii were able to produce everything needed.

These days, with an expansive population and disruption of many natural ecologies... it's going to take a lot more than Ahupua `a to feed the islands. On several islands, permaculture is starting to become more ubiquitous and shaping a new way that the islands can rediscover their self-sufficiency.

Next weekend I'll be hopping over to the Big Island to visit my Aunt Chris. I'm very excited as I credit her as my earliest influence in gardening. Growing up in Northern Idaho, I spent much of my childhood in her household snapping green beans, watering the garden, brushing and feeding the horses, throwing rotten chicken eggs... ahem, well that wasn't exactly her influence.

Aunt Chris always had a way of showing me how special the simple things in life were. I'm so excited to reconnect and share with her all the ways her quite and patient influence has guided me.




Until then... Aloha!

Spirit of community...

Sitting on the floor of the Seattle airport. Fortunately, the only airport that had decent internet access was also the one I have the longest layover. In a little under an hour from now I'll be boarding a plane to Honolulu.

I'm still having a hard time processing it all. Setting the intention to make this leap a over a year ago now... I would have never even considered how amazing my life would become even before officially embarking.

My heart swims with a profusion of emotion. For the first time in my life, I've discovered something that seems to elude the vast majority of our society (at least the majority of American society). Community is an enigmatic thing. I'm sure I could wax at length (in fact, I think I have) about various explanations and ways to define the word without ever touching on what it actually means to be apart of one. 

Fact of the matter is, I could have never expected that the experience would be so visceral. A family so loving and dedicated not just to themselves and each other but to all of humanity. We want to change the world and we realized that none of us have what it takes to do that alone. We're going to need to get everyone on board if we hope to have any significant impact.

Without community the whole thing is a wash. Without supporting each other we will get very little accomplished. Only when we act selflessly do we find security. That is not an easy thing to recognize for most of us. Selfless action appears painful... only the true ascetic would bring such things upon himself.

The reality is quite surprisingly opposite. The more you give of yourself, the more is given to you... ultimately allowing you to give even more! The more you open yourself to these channels of energy the more fulfilling you find your life becomes. This is what is meant by "becoming a conduit".

As your giving and your capacity for giving grow you find that more and more people gravitate toward you and, recognizing you as a conduit, are more inclined to share their gifts with you. As they share and open up they too can discover the power of this positive feedback loop of selflessness. Before you know it, a whole community is loving and sharing and supporting each other (and you) while the stock of the of individual security increases exponentially.

Need a place to stay? I know 30 people that would love to take in a generous and loving soul. Looking for a helping hand with a project? I'll pick up a shovel with you because I know it's going to help feed a poor household.

This is only a small sliver of what it's like to experience real community. And now, after all the things I ever wanted from life started to surface out of these realizations... I'm taking that leap forward and leaving the family I just met to make more family on the other side of the world.

When I have a family reunion... I want 7 billion people celebrating with me! And I want our celebration to not only be about the discovery of this human family... but the discovery that by working together, we can heal all wounds, lift all debt, alleviate every bit of suffering and cultivate a world of peace, love and abundance for all.