IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH HELL . . . keep going.

Somehow the days continue to pass. Regardless of the sadness that we endure, the grief that we share, the conflicts we continue to have. The intensity of our emotions often makes it hard to imagine how we can continue to move forward. It can be overwhelming - like time is happening to us, rather than us moving through time.

So what can we do?

We can keep going. But not with blinders on. We can acknowledge the pain, work through the confusion, and share in the celebration. The key to it all is that we're doing it together.

We recently caught up with the good folks at Soul Fire Farm. We've been following their Schmita year and accompanying Love Notes from Abroad, and were eager to hear about their transition back to American soil. Jonah noted that a most valuable part of the experience was seeing how humans interacted with each other in other cultures - they brought food to each other, valued time with family, they shared, and they cared. These basic acts - practiced over and over again - illustrated how they relied on and appreciated each other on a fundamental level. 

In our culture, which seems to push forward like a whirlwind around us, it's hard not to feel overwhelmed with work and money and the news and the pressure to do something that 'matters'. With so many options and so much stimulation, it's easy to feel like you have to be doing something all the time. But there is such value in being in the moment, connecting with other people. 

We spent the past weekend with a GFJ user, with whom we'd connected over email months back. Although we were technically strangers, by weekend's end we felt like close friends. We shared some laughs and cries and - of course - some very good food. Setting aside the time to spend with her helped us all to slow down and experience something new. Among the things that we did together was participate in #theartofworth project, which asks you three simple questions: 1) My greatest wish is . . . 2) If I could ask for anything it would be . . . , and 3) I have not asked for it because . . . .

Responses from dozens of strangers were hung on clothesline for all to read and connect with. The one featured below (in our Instagram feed) sums up a deep desire we hear over and over again: My greatest wish is to make a living that supports my family while not having to spend all of my time away from them to do it. 

We are all - remarkably - a lot closer than we think. If you are feeling untethered this week, here are some ways to find your people: 
 

Cheers,

   Taylor & Dorothy
   Co-Founders, Good Food Jobs