Building Communities of Resilience
A Time When Crises are on the Rise
While intellectuals in online forums contemplate an apocalypse or a technological singularity, and New Age gurus claim the coming age of transcendence and the promise of unified consciousness, everyday families worry about their survival. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we witnessed the interruption of the supply chain. We witnessed people losing their source of income and experiencing the resulting financial hardship. We witnessed people going back to the basics of life, learning to do things from scratch such as cooking, washing clothes, giving haircuts, gardening – you name it!
I asked myself, what if all the systems that make up the supply chain collapse due to a pandemic, climate change, or sociopolitical unrest? What if we lose our economic viability as a country? What if the healthcare and educational systems fail us? Will my children have the necessary skills to survive? Do we currently have the needed resources to have control over our food sources? Can we ensure our family’s financial viability in the future? Can we manage a household that uses sustainable resources and help reduce our carbon footprint? Can we practice emergency medicine when needed? Do we have access to natural and reliable sources of water, energy, and food?
"Be joyful though you have considered all the facts"
— Wendell Berry
Our Freedom
Humans are free beings by virtue of having the gift of free will bestowed upon us by our creator. We are not to give up our freedom and power to systems, ideologies, or social and economic constructs. God has given us the land resources and inner resourcefulness to live a good life. Humans are at liberty to choose the way of life that works best for them.
The Earth Calls for Our Return
We all know that we must save our planet, yet our collective actions are not coherent enough to produce measurable results. The earth calls for our return to enhance and sustain its natural systems rather than take away from it or destroy it. As we witness the current state of our economic, political, social, and agricultural systems, we realize that there’s work to be done. We realize that we must take our power back and begin to take charge of our life; no one will do it for us.
Changing the world begins with the work we do in our local communities
Changing the world begins with the work we do in our local communities. Governments must allow and support people in choosing their way of life away from structures that drain their financial resources and deprive them of their basic freedoms while offering services and setting up healthy structures to meet their essential needs and provide access to resources and raw material. By attaining individual and communal power, freedom, and liberty, we shape the future of our communities, the world, and the entire planet by creating symbiotic relationships with ourselves, our communities, and nature.
Let the Healing Begin
The planet is in need of healing and restoration to bring forth a more empowered, genuine, self-expressive, and sustainable lifestyle for all where values such as freedom, equality, community, and welfare are shared among all people. As the path extends further ahead of us, we realize that our children need to gain the skills necessary to survive hardship and be able to adapt and deal with extreme situations should that be required in their future. Our lives are hanging on a thread that is currently tied to man-made systems. We have the power and the ability to tie the thread to the ever-regenerating and giving earth and begin to heal its land while it gives back to us, to our children, and to our grandchildren.
The Dream
At this time of so much darkness in the world, I want to share a dream of mine. I envision humans living in sustainable communities, cultivating their land, caring for one another while their relationship with themselves, nature, and God is restored. Imagine humans having total control and freedom over their meeting their own needs and ensuring their own well-being while they are empowered to bring forth a nature-driven civilization.
Today, I embark on a journey of a lifetime with the commitment to discover a new life; one of freedom, ease, and collective resilience. I want myself and my family to learn all the skills necessary for our survival and welfare. I want those skills to be taught to my children and grandchildren. I want us to take responsibility for our lives and know that we can create sustainable and healthy communities that allow us to experience happiness in connection while harmoniously cultivating the earth’s resources.
Introducing the
Vine Communities
Center of Sustainable Development
"The door is wide open to each and every one of us. The way of the Light is there for those who understand the profound connection between humans and nature, for those who see the inseparable bond calling to be acknowledged and recognized."
— Eiman Al Zaabi