Love – literally the fabric of the universe – it’s all there is – really... and for reasons I do not purport to understand, this time of year draws it out in us. Giving, with love, is to receive the same. I love this community more than any sense making can find. This particular constellation of people on this wee rock, our relationships with each other, seen and unseen, human, plant, animal, spirit, the whole unity of life. There is a level of intactness here that is so rare. Like a net, even with holes, can still catch fish. Not without its flaws for sure, however, the intactness that exists here in nature, in community, in spirit, is precious – fragile and divine – worth our attention – worth feeding with our love.

I am coming to see our island community as a seed bank. A place to keep safe what is most precious, that is, our way of being in relationship with each other, with place and with spirit. This year more than ever, gardeners have seen the value of seed saving.

What we are creating here is of great worth – yes to us, yes to those many who are coming – but also more broadly. What we are creating here is far reaching, and matters far beyond our shores. So I challenge us to dig deep into our own internal resources this winter season so that we may emerge as kinder, more compassionate, loving and impassioned individuals with renewed commitment to give our best to this experiment we are co-creating.

As my daughter and I make art, and cookies, and greenery to gift and share, I teach her about this time of year being one of generosity, one of gratitude, a time of love. NO pandemic can take those qualities away from us. Those are within and between each of us. These energies are felt across all interference, as long as we can be still enough to notice them – calm enough to hear them – open enough to receive them. These times of introspection, isolation and quiet are an invitation into the spacious present. I invite us to move into a space of gratitude, both for the blessings in our lives and the seeded blessings to come, fed by your intention.

As far as Covid goes... on a zoom call last week between Island Health and local on-island leadership, I was reassured that the measures that are in place mostly work. Cortes Currents has written a three part article about the call which can be found here https://cortescurrents.ca/tag/island-health-zoom-meeting/ We were reminded that life still goes on, that we can give a masked guest a ride in our car, that yes there are safe ways for children to socialize, and above all to be safe, kind and calm. Local leadership also clearly identified areas for improvement, mostly around information communication and food availability. We will continue to work on these important community measures that complement our formal health structures. Great gratitude to all of you who have stepped up in support of each other in so many ways in these extraordinary times.

I wish for you the joy in the simple things and the present moment, both within and without. I wish that kindness grows in your heart and that you know love.

All my love to all of you this winter season.
Warmly, Noba Anderson
Regional Director
250-935-0320, directorcortesisland.com