The Slow Dialing to a Different Supply Chain

We like watching Agatha Christie mysteries, but I've never actually read her books. Mostly, it's the Poirot series we've watched thanks to our local library. Since things have changed with 'lock-down' and 'social distancing' most people are streaming or Netflixing. 

We have rented three movies (old favorites) on YouTube, but have not yet taken the Netflix leap preferring to dust off the DVDs tucked under the futon. Old movies, comfort zones and bowls of hot oatmeal with butter have been a place to count on while most normals go about the business of re-calibrating. 

Six weeks ago we began a new chapter in getting what we needed. 'Stay home. Stay safe' has meant we don't get out and about in our town. Instead of creating a shopping list for myself, I began writing a list for someone else to shop for us. Monday and Tuesday of this week have been delivery days.

Molly sent us seeds from her community gardens in Missouri

Sawyer delivered foods and essential supplies (and some not quite 'essential' but fun stuff) on Monday

Chocolate polenta cake from Missouri

Toasted oats and dried fruit, ti leaf and ti leaf stalks, and a special Two Tutus gift 

from Kawika and Maleka

Mahalo Peggy for your generosity

In Washington state, where we live, this is an excerpt from the official plan Gov. Jay Inslee is taking to address the health and safety of the state :

"Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday laid out his vision for the eventual safe return to public life amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The governor in his address described the state’s approach for the gradual return to public life. Depending on health projections for the spread of the virus, some distancing restrictions may be in place for weeks or months to come, he said.

“It will look more like the turning of the dial than the flip of a switch,” Inslee said. “We’re going to take steps and then monitor to see whether they work or if we must continue to adapt...”'

On Whidbey Island, where we live, the City of Langley and the office of Mayor Tim Callison have been stellar in daily communication (via email). We are doubly lucky to have Drew Kampion creator, editor and publisher of drewslist to serve us with daily notifications about services, updates from local small businesses (where to shop, where to eat, how events and services have changes ...) Mahalo nui for these actions.

In the midst of an upside-down time, the specific and local action of our neighbors and this state's leadership give us something to consider as we take our individual steps to dial in, and become part of a give-and-take chain that is different than the one we have had.

The other night Pete and I listened to a teleseminar "Personal and Community Resilience in the Context of Covid-19" with our favorite herbalist, and generous with her knowledge Wise Woman Susun Weed and Linda Conroy. For an affordable to us $10 (which entitles us to re-listen again and again), we listened to a conversation between two wise woman which began with defining 'resiliency' ... as a "verb, not a goal."

• and flexibility to mean being stressed and go past that. 
• make choices about putting ourselves (back) out into the world
• (create) a plan for myself where "Dynamic Disequalibrium", not balance, is a key and very different approach  
• specific herbs and herbal preparations were named and discussed for personal resiliency
• change the recommendations (from 'powers that be') to make them better for your self-care
• negotiate the way back (into the public) and create communication (e.g. 'non-violent' communication) to make any person feel comfortable; be clear in your needs

Pete and I highly recommend this teleseminar to our friends, family and readers. The

• quality of information, 
• accessibility (if you have a computer and internet) and 
• affordability 

fit our beliefs and practices of a safety pin life. The practice does require an open and changeable relationship with wild plants (weeds and herbs). Herbal medicine is not a quick fix; it will change your life with time and commitment. We are grateful we started our connection to the Wise Woman Traditions a few years ago. At the same time I was writing medicine stories in the woods, Susun Weed offered me options to change long-term health challenges. Slowly, we are learning to be resilient and flexible. Adapting to society's norms is something we step-away from, taking our lead from Jiddu Krishnamurti who said:

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."

Our story keeps growing. Some things change. Some things stay the same. There are stories showing up that break my heart, and others that ignite the Black Lilith in me. The sweeps on encampments of people who are unsheltered began years before Covid-19 was brought to humanity via the bat. Pete and I lived for a time, unsheltered, but alive in our car. We were 'swept' from a beach parking lot in 2007 when I was at a very fragile state. Sleeping at night, without an address, those like we have been, have no voice or influence, in this innovative process of human society.

We're all involved in the movement -- fast or slow; forward or back -- of the many dials of our charmed and mysterious life. I think it mattered greatly that we make choices that are tweaked and moved like hand stitches or a knob searching for the story that fits us now.

Mahalo nui loa to our friends and family who have contributed to our real-life, and our supply chain. Writing these posts and stories and sending them out to you is an invitation to be with us, even when we can't be. Stories leave a place for you to come into our safety pin life. Safety pins are moveable. Life is moveable and changeable. We learn from each other. We make space for one another.


What supplies are enough for you? Who are the people (real ones) that make your supply chain resilient and dynamic? Where are we (as a community) now as the power to create loving, respectful exchanges is within our reach? How do you move to change from a greed economy to a gift economy?

RELATED:
There are many links throughout this post. Click on them for an expanded and branching view of the topic, or return to the post and read them, once the Full Moon in Scorpio (coming early Thursday morning, May 7th) has passed.

Ola Kakou (thrive everybody!)

💜💚🧡💛