Background:

Over the years, I have found myself constantly loving hurting kids. Even when I try to stop myself because it hurts too much- I can’t. As my heart beats and bleeds for all the children (foster kids in the US to children in armies abroad), my head works overtime to try to find solutions to the causes. More than anything, I want to create a safe place for hurting children to live and play and learn and be loved. I dream of making this place a reality through an intentional international community that is fundamentally eco-friendly and sustainable. This community will include family homes (where couples can move in and adopt children and raise their own), a school (which emphasizes arts and music as well as academics), a medical clinic (to provide basic care for the community members), a creative arts therapy program, and a summer camp and retreat center (for children and adults from outside the community to come learn about our way of life). The community will exemplify an alternative way of life for the rest of the world, a life of love and peace. Although the community will be primarily focused on child orphans, we will fully recognize that at some level, every human being is (and acts as) an orphan when separated from Divine love.

The Story:

A few days ago I transferred from NYU to College of the Atlantic, a small school in Bar Harbor, ME to learn about community development, sustainable food systems, sustainable business, and how public health is intertwined with the health of the environment (and how to improve both).  As soon as I get a chance to sit down and write, I will tell you all about the place- it’s amazing. For now, the explanation of why I’m here (up above), and pictures will have to do. Oh, and because future dreams are not enough for me to live on. Here’s what I am trying to do every day.

• *Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
• Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.
• Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential.
• Promote social and economic justice, enabling al to achieve a secure and meaningful livelihood that is ecologically responsible.
• Eradicate poverty.
• Guarantee clean water, clean air, food security, uncontaminated soil, shelter, and safe sanitation.
• Allocate the national and international resources required.
• Empower every human being with the education and resources to secure a sustainable livelihood.
• Recognize the ignored, protecting the vulnerable, and serving those who suffer.
• Ensure universal access to education and health care.
• Integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life.
• Recognize the impotance of moral and spiritual education for sustainable living.
• Treat all living beings with respect and consideration.
• Promote a culture of nonviolence, and peace.
• Recognize that peace is the wholeness created by right relationships with oneself, other persons, other cultures, other life, Earth, and the larger whole of which all are a part.*
• Learn

• And, to ALWAYS LOVE.

Please hold me accountable to this. When I forget, please remind me of my principles and dreams, even if you do not share the same ones! Challenge mine, make me change, and make me grow, and sometimes, please remind me to just be.

* Taken, often word for word from The Earth Charter. Although I just included the goals I am personally working towards and feel passionate about, there are many more. Check it out here.

A quick tour:

Before heading to campus, Greg and Chelsea and I checked out the surrounding area. This is Cadillac Mountain, a few minutes away from campus.

Around campus:

Back on top of the mountain for the sunset!

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