From homemade syrup to privilege to solidarity and an open heart is one post.
It’s interesting how things go in waves. My parents and grandparents grew up with big gardens, growing most of the food themselves. Foraging, preserving, making apple juice, harvesting the walnuts, strawberries, beans, salads, potatoes, pears it all was stable in our household and despite helping out, I was never taught anything. My grandma kept telling me that I’ll go to university and then I will live “a better life” where I will only buy my food.
I think my parents for a long time thought of the kitchen garden and orchard work as a burden, and as they were both working full time, I do understand that. In the last years, they picked up again with making jams and elderflower sirup which is either used just like that or then made into a jelly which I love.
So from a simple necessity, it became a burden, and now it’s quality time—all of that in just one lifetime.
And yes, that is a huge privilege, and I am enormously grateful to know my parents in such a good position. There are still worries and uncertainties they face, but there are way more things that are a grim reality for many they don’t have to fear.
Be aware of the privileges you have. Use them to dismantle them. Be grateful.
Let’s work towards a world where all can enjoy healthcare, food and housing security, physical and emotional safety and for fucks sake, let’s show some goddamn solidarity with refugees! These people, these mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, parents, children face a horror that is hard to bear even in the 20 seconds a glimpse is shown in the news. How can we call ourselves human if we slam the door in their faces? I know that every time we suppress the instinct to help to keep what we have safe, we damage something in ourselves. I yearn for a world where a person in need can be sure of help. Being in need is horrific enough even if you get help and honestly we all will be in need in one way or another through our lifetime. May we help create a world were this help will be granted to us with an open heart. May we live with open hearts, so we allow ourselves to receive help with grace.