VI. Use and Value Diversity
While in high school, she found herself surrounded by an incredible array of personalities, talents, backgrounds, and experiences. Her friends varied from Earth-lovers to athletes, musicians to theatrical sorts. She delved into pottery, dance, metal-working, wood-turning, musicals, recording, choir, environmental activism, student government, sailing and outdoor education. She realized that being multi-faceted in her interests left many doors open for her wild explorations. She was a rounded individual, a Jill-of-all-trades yet a master of none.
Un/Learning commentary
This diversity is useful in my variety of jobs and in my search for inspiration. I've set up a life of resiliency and adhered to my principle of avoiding expertise. My eggs are not all in the same basket, rather they are distributed between many baskets where are hard to keep track of. Then I am scramble (no pun intended) to get them all in one place.
VII. Integrate rather than Segregate
At eighteen, Sophie spent three months traveling cross-country in a van with eleven others to research border issues and train for outdoor education (Mountain Classroom). By living in close quarters, sleeping in tents day-in-and-day-out, awareness of the interdependence was heightened. Group dynamics were a major focus, and each member's strengths and weaknesses were raw and open. Sophie learned to work with and not against--if even one person was not taken care off, the wheel wobbled on its axle.
Recently, she was invited to be a member of the small Permaculture subcommittee for the Northeastern Organic Farmers' Organization in New Hampshire (NOFA-NH). The aim of the committee is to assist organic growers to slowly apply Permaculture principles and techniques while maintaining business and adhering to the laws prescribed to the farms. She again realized that integrative working is more valuable and productive than competition.
Un/Learning commentary
Though I learned both the social and economic advantages of fusing talents and goals, I often find myself feeling alone with my ethics in my small town. I hope to explore overlapping intentions and skill sets with local growers and Permaculturists, as well as existing groups in my bioregion, such as the Andover Energy Group of which I am a dedicated member.
VIII. Slow and Simple Solutions
At 17, she sailed for three months from Boston to the British Virgin Islands, to small Caribbean archipelagos, and eventually landed in Puerto Rico (Ocean Classroom). Never before had she travelled with such light feet. She was always flying from place to place, visiting thirty-five countries before the age of twenty. The strength and joy embedded in such hard-sought traveling was inspirational.
She learned through buying her house that she shouldn't bite off more than she could chew. Everything needed to be done one step at a time. "Where are the constraints?" became a valuable question. The house could only be as strong as its weakest (or least attended to) component, and each design element had to be dealt with one by one or she became quickly overwhelmed.
Un/Learning commentary
In a world of speed and efficiency, quick-fixes and technology, I have a hard time slowing down. I acquire activity after job after schooling after activity out of excitement and passion and impatience. Spontaneity and whim drop me in some of the greatest opportunities, but as I never say no (for the sake of curiosity and love of accommodating others), I wear myself thin devoting every ounce to projects and other's needs. My efficiency is astounding, but carrying all these tasks at once means I drop a few. I should focus on taking several trips to bring them all safely to their appropriate destination.