Sunday, June 22, 2008

Musings on Gift, Permaculture, Work


I just read an enlightening article on Gift Economy from a woman in France. Her take on the whole idea is fresh and helpful. Check it out by clicking below and then put in Gift Economy.
http://www.wisemandarine.com/ Opps, Mandarine wrote that she is a he. My bad.

A poet friend of mine and her husband bought and live at an orchard in western Colorado. She speaks of the struggle to get the crop that society requires. From a freeze of blossoms that did not stop the fruit, their apricots are now deemed seconds. I sent her this poem in response.

Naming Ceremony For
Survivors
i rename those miraculous
persistent wonders i call
them love bundles or
sweet dreams or
mama's delight
maybe wine makers
or apricot of my eye
or cherry's cherry
a chance to listen
to these other voices
of our world, listen
as in permaculture
as in let's make a
date and go out
under the stars and
talk all night as in
Meister Eckart's
conclusion that we
are all birthers of god.

Even in the fruit we eat, there is judgement, a requirement for a perfection that is an illusion and a missing of the real beauty of life. A gift economy could change all that. Gratitude, giving and receiving might take some of that out of the equation.

Sweet gift giving to you this gorgeous Sunday.
JJ

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the link. FYI, the author at wisemandarine.com is a man. The pen name mandarine is just his cat's.