You have not heard much about the water main project for awhile.
Partly that is because I have not heard much about the water main project for awhile...since the public meeting June 12, to be exact. The City has been utterly silent. I have no idea what that means...this time of year, perhaps it only means that almost everyone is on vacation, and those remaining are busy filling in for each other and supervising work on projects already in the construction stage. Maybe they really ARE "back to the drawing board". Maybe they are waiting for my next move.
Mainly, I have been working hard (and having a great time doing it!) FARMING, and working my bus-driving job. I’ve often quipped, "I can either farm, or defend my right to farm"...and right now the focus is on farming. Where I hope to keep it.
One means of keeping my focus on farming–on achieving my own (and God’s!) long-term goals for this beautiful, rich, living land–is to enlist the aid of others in defending my right to farm, and the land’s right to be farmed. I deeply appreciate those with expertise in various areas (geologists, hydrologists, economic analysts, policy-makers, etc.) who have let me pick their brains, and continue to call me with thoughts on angles I would never have thought to consider.
Attorney Kathy Kirk has enthusiastically agreed to handle the various legal angles of the situation for me and the farm. What a blessing! She comes to this situation with a great background–I’ve known of her originally through her mediation work, so she brings the ability to work for win-win solutions to the table–and she has direct experience with eminent domain proceedings for public utilities. I cannot say what a relief it is to welcome her to the Pinwheel Farm Community, and to surrender the idea that I have to wade through the legal swamp alone.
On the other hand, it’s a bit of a weird feeling...I’ve just turned over primary control of the land’s (and my) future to "someone else". Letting go of control is scary...even if all I’m really letting go of is my illusion of control. While we will be working together as a team, it’s a new thing for me to remember that I need to consult with her before speaking or acting in areas related to the situation. Among other things, that means TURNING OVER the blog--letting her review, and potentially edit, any blog entries pertaining to the water main project.
THAT will be a challenge, as much as TURNING OVER the legal journey. Not because I mind someone "criticizing" my writing (coming from a fine arts background, I’ve always thrived on constructive criticism), but because I’m such a perfectionist and obsessive reviser that it will be hard to let an entry lounge around for approval for a few days, then post it without making extensive cosmetic changes after she’s approved it. That will be good practice in self-discipline, for sure!
Of course, this paper exercise in "letting go" of control is a great reminder that really, GOD is in control...whatever happens, He will use it for His good, and we pitiful humans really haven’t much of a clue what He has in mind, anyhow.
As good as I am at "taking things back" after I THINK I’ve turned them over to God, I’m sure this "turning over" will be a lot like riding an emotional rototiller!
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