In Community, There Is Hope

By Andrew Parlin, CGC Volunteer

I first came to the Civic Garden Center (CGC) because of our son Jack. I’ve stayed not just because I love him to the moon and back and will do anything to be with him, but because the CGC is hope.

It’s been a hard year. For the world, country, our local community, for me and my family.  Not going list all the ingredients in this baked ziti of insanity that is the current moment, because if you’re reading this newsletter, I’m fairly certain you have a general idea. Nothing new under the sun, of course, as the human experience has always been defined by the full spectrum of joy and suffering. Facing the latter in isolation is what breaks the spirit. Climate change presents a unique existential threat with the potential to both drive us apart and weave the human family together, as we hold on to hope and move forward with action in the face of uncertainty. Jonathan Lear:

Plenty Coups was able to lead himself and his people forward into an unimaginable future committed to the idea that something good would emerge . . . a daunting form of commitment to a goodness in the world that transcends one’s current ability to grasp what it is. (Radical Hope: Ethics in the Face of Cultural Devastation, 2006, p.100)

The CGC is one of millions of bright stars in the sky, a collection of people committed to nature, and one another. Walking around the grounds, performing maintenance work, and most importantly, spending time with staff and volunteers, is calming and comforting. Nature is here, we are here, together. Grief and hope hold hands, with the hawk in the sky, majestic trees and sprouting seeds our companions. In community, there is hope.

If the CGC is one of the bright stars in your sky, please consider donating to support our work financially. Our annual appeal is underway now, and we could really use your help—no matter how big or small your gift might be. Help us continue to hold a place for community, now and going forward.