[pf] A New List Serve

by Jill Taylor Bussiere

31 December 2000 01:05 UTC

I have been thinking more about the making a difference stuff while writing
to Nan.

The issues I am really fighting with now are due to energy, and I think
that has more to do with the *knowing* that what I do makes a difference,
and *knowing* that the difference I make is unknowable and open.  It also
has to do with feeling so full of the moment - that campaign was truly
consuming - because of passion.  So I am sorting out the aftermath of it
all, and also
continuing to work on the food system - in the community and on our farm.

    There is nothing that I am working on all by myself right now - I am
blessed with many wonderful and talented people as companions in change.
Another place where I/we in the community are having difficulty, though, is
with a new county board member who is, for some reason, is out to do in many
projects.  None of us can figure out what is going on with her - but I think
part of it is that she is a bean counter and sees that as her mission.
Unfortunately, her role as bean counter, coupled with her inability to
understand sustainable economic development, and her lack of vision, have
done great destruction in our community - not only to our Community Kitchen
project, but also draining the energies of many people working for the
greater good around the county.  Our Community Kitchen group is going to
work on trying to contain her damage at least in one project area by going
to the next County Board Meeting and requesting that she no longer say
anything about our project, and let us alone.  She has not reason, at this
point, to be involved, as we withdrew our request 4 months ago for a small
bit of support
from the County due to her spreading of misinformation and negative comments
about the Kitchen. Yet still she insists on putting the Kitchen on the
agenda of one of her committees, and spouting misinformation about it.   It
is truly amazing that one person can do so much  damage.  The damage is
intensified by one of our 2 independent county papers - recently bought by
an outsider - who sees his mission to sell papers, and sees controversy and
bad news as the way to do it.  When we first moved here, the paper was run
by community minded folks, whose goal was the betterment of the community.

.
    Both my experience with this board member, and with the election, drive
home the point
that you never know what results will come of your hard work.  She is a hard
worker.  I am sure she feels she is doing a service to the county, and she
is not.  So, who knows what results from my work?  One can only attempt to
launch one's dreams - where they end up depends upon the wind.