October 22, 2015

Emily:

Me and tomatoes.

How do you want your brain to develop? For me, it's by welcoming experiences with open arms and a warm, loving hug. That's how I like to meet the world, and the many wonderful people in it! I've had the remarkable opportunity to meet several such people in the recent months.

See, I believe everyone needs love, and that some (in fact, probably most) get far less than they should. But that's why I'm here. That's why I'm me. I'm Emily. Emily Boyer. Em. Emmy. Identified rarely as Sun Hawk. Sometimes not known by name at all. I'm just me.

My home in the woods.

I become more me everyday, especially when I'm encouraged to do so by others who wish to be their own genuine selves and to accept others for their true selves as well. Now I'm living with six others who are passionately pursuing the lives they desire to live and in doing so, live as models for a more sustainable world through a culture of acceptance.

By taking life as it comes but also taking intentional actions and steering my voyage in the direction I see happiness is how I ended up where I am:

This beautiful farmland is called Windward Research & Education Center, or just Windward, but to call it a farm does not fully convey the immense potential for sustainable community that is located on this plateau in south central Washington.

Amidst beautiful mountains speckled with oaks and firs, only about a 2 hour drive from Portland, OR, this certified non-profit organization called Windward goes by many titles: an intentional community, a commune of ideas, a farm in a forest. But the truth is that it's already shown itself as so much more than that to me. It's opportunity.

It's freedom. It's wonder and joy and awe at the incredible things that can be done by the sheer will of an intelligent, motivated, and supportive group of people.

You might be asking how I ended up here at Windward. Well, that's a loaded question, and I could probably talk to you for a very long time about it.

I could tell you that the sunset spoke to me, the stars aligned, or "I just knew" - all of which could be true. But if you have a different philosophy than the way that would appeal, I'll explain it by circumstance:

There really were a lot of things that had to happen in my life for me to wind up here...

in fact, I'd say everything that ever has happened to me led me to this very moment writing this, and even to you reading it. But that's just how I choose to view the world (it helps me be quite happy most of the time).

In short, I ended up deciding to come here for this 3 month fellowship to learn about the community and sustainable practices that exist here so naturally because I was looking for a place to be. A place to be me.

Somewhere where I could go to grow. Some place that needed me, and which I needed too. A location with people I could learn a lot from and who would accept me with open arms.

Turns out, it was Windward!

Me (left), Lindsay and Claire on a hike around the plateau.

Of course it's not without it's challenges to face, but it's been truly utopian for me - well, as close as it gets while remaining part of reality, I'd say.

There are so many amazing things I want to tell everyone about life in this place so full of life!

Today I milked two lovely goats named Sprinkles and Becca, fed the sheep, bunnies, and chickens, hung out with some adorable piglets and gave the goat kids some love too.

I also played some ukulele, took a walk to explore the area at sunset, wrote part of a song, took a nap, ate delicious food I made and enjoyed with the wonderful people I'm living here with.

Now I'm sitting in the moon-shade with a cup of fresh well water and my guitar.

Life is good at Windward Education and Research Center :)