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We know we cannot plant seeds with closed fists. To sow, we must open our hands. -Adolfo Perez Esquivel
Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain. -Carl Jung
How Many Hands Does it Take?
A Handy Guide to Feeling More Connected
By Andrea Crimmins, PFC Board of Directors
All hands on deck, lend a hand, give a hand, get your hands dirty, many hands make light work. Have you ever noticed how many sayings there are that use hands to connote community connection? When was the last time you stopped while picking up a gorgeous head of lettuce in our produce section or spooning up some of the scrumptious and nourishing food from our hot bar and asked yourself, how many hands did it take to get this food into my own?
I encourage you to try this out and see how you feel. In my experience, taking a moment to ask this simple question has the power to bring a deeper sense of appreciation, connectedness and well being. The question can be used as a form of mindfulness meditation, a practice that is proven to have multiple benefits.
There is nothing we can do in this life that doesn’t connect to someone or something else. And yet we live in times that often feel isolated and disconnected. There are many reasons that each of us feel motivated to be part of the Placerville Co-op, not least of which is the opportunity for community connection. Still, we are all busy and it can be challenging to feel that we have enough time to give to building community. I’m a firm believer that when we feel more connected we can more easily feel empathy and appreciation for those around us. When we feel appreciation it’s easier to take actions that keep building connection and the reinforcing feedback loop continues.
My hope and dream is that we can all help build the Placerville Co-op into a nurturing and connected community, that it can become an even greater hub for connecting with and getting to know our neighbors, our farmers, and our employees, and that we can practice appreciation for one another and for all the work it takes to build a healthy food system and community. Most of all, I hope we can remember that there is joy in this work. How many of our hands will it take? All of them.
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