A Community Vision
Another letter to this small community, but please manifest this in your own too!
To the Editor, the Town Council, and everyone else still here,
VISION, isn’t this crucial? When we have vision, our lives have additional meaning and purpose. Without vision we are capable of floundering or worse. I’ve moved in and out of each of these states often. So it was that a couple of weeks ago while on an early morning stroll, it just happened. The light was about to appear, there was no one in sight, and the vision just became manifest within my mind. The strength of it was palpable and I knew that soon I’d share these words. The next morning there was Mr. Reamen inviting us to do this very thing.
So where is our culture right now? What vision is paramount and currently offered and espoused within our town? And why is this on the agenda now, when town has essentially been abandoned? On an important cultural property is a sign stating, “See you in Moab”. Really? The fact that many people have bolted is unsettling to me. While the reasons are vast and noteworthy, the ramifications are troubling. What does this say about our town that once the tourists leave, the residents do as well. And how does this relate to vision? This is spring. In most cultures, spring is a time of rebirth, new beginnings and there is boatloads of work to be done. In ours, what are we doing? Well today, here, shoveling more snow, still.
The vision that appeared became one of living in a responsible culture, a culture that provided for its own sustenance, a culture that provided every citizen with a job that dearly mattered. We are small and dense enough that so much is possible. Could we become a model society here? Could we develop systems of living that fostered deeper community connections and healthier citizens? Could we take more of what is needed for daily living into our own hands?
Instantly, my mind formulated the possibility that we could do this with food, literally. Instead of waiting for corporate trucks to arrive offering us less than stellar options, we could build many large greenhouses, greenhouses that were whole integrated systems, in the way and model of Will Allen of Growing Power in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For much of the year we’d raise our own produce and fish. We’d compost everything, right here. We’d all work in these spaces, jobs would be prevalent, but not in the old paradigm way of solely amassing money. Vast solar arrays would also be another necessary component. With this much sun, we could power the entire town.
The following questions are asked by one who’s been an architect/builder/artist/potter/musician/curler, so please take these queries in stride. While we desire a roof over an ice arena for games, can we develop the vision and will to adapt the look of town to accommodate more basic human needs? And instead of longing to build the next 8000sf home, or venue’s for listening to the plucking of strings, can we long, as a community to create structures that matter for everyone, and truly impact our most basic survival needs? This would be quite a shift in personal and cultural responsibility. And we are capable of pulling it off.
A culture that knows what it needs to live, and provides this is a healthy culture. It’s citizens would be happier internally than a culture that provides for none of its real needs, while expecting others, elsewhere, to do all of the work.
I don’t have any idea how to physically or financially accomplish this. I do know though that it has to happen. Sometimes the “what” is needed first, then the “how”comes to fruition with mass input. Remaining tied to outdated visions for why we exist is probably not the way forward. Can we add new elements to the puzzle? Much work is already being put forth regarding food in the valley, and has been for almost the past two decades. Is it possible that now, with the town councilors asking for visionary input, that this is a new moment to coalesce a truly visionary approach to why we exist?
My belly is hungry, I sure hope so.
Our Deeper Truths 
April 22, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Matthew, What an important step to take on your birthday…birthing a vision that not only the residents of CB need to consider, but more largely, it is the essential vision for our planet right now and should not be ignored. Your voice is a voice to be heard….I just hope that those reading your letter will take their fingers out of their ears, put down their skis and recognize that the future of humanity and the planet depends on it. It only takes one to hear and respond.
Blessings, Maya Christobel
May 6, 2011 at 2:01 am
Maya you are right, it only takes one to hear and respond and a second and a third to build a group..why don’t you start a group of vision-minded people Matthew, so your ideas can be put into reality…if you ask for these people they will show up, you know that….
Come on, go for it, do not only write about it…
Karine
May 23, 2011 at 9:45 pm
What a beautiful vision….huge greenhouses and CB providing fresh food for residents that doesn’t need to be trucked in after being shipped across the world! I love it!
May 30, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Thanks Sarah,
And today, Memorial Day, in the midst of snow showers, yup true, chilly, a bunch of us put in the beds for the school garden. What a delight that many people in their 20’s and early 30’s came together to do this. My heart feels hopeful.