All images from Dall-E
When I was young and foolish I had a dream in high school. I was facing becoming an adult and needed direction. My conclusion: I was going to become a Doctor and become a missionary to help less privileged people in the world and spread the message of Jesus.
Looking back at my teenage self I am so glad that dream didn't become a reality. I would have been a truly awful Doctor and likely an even worse missionary.
Why?
I used to think that medicine was about knowledge and being a missionary was about desire to share and help others.
They aren't
They are about empathy, a caring touch, and great interpersonal skills. I've lived long enough to see the people that truly have those skills and see them in action. I also know myself well enough to know that I do not possess those skills.
Now I'm much older and drawing to the end of my working career. Again I'm looking for direction for my retirement years. I wish I could say that I'm less foolish than I was at 18 but I'm not entirely sure my goal has changed. I would still love to help those in need and spread the love of Jesus. However, I now know it is not going to be as either a Doctor or a Missionary.
My wish for an Agroforestry Project
What is my current dream or goal for my retirement? Simple: End hunger in Africa. Easy, right?
Of course anyone with half a brain knows that ending hunger in Africa is truly impossible for any one person to accomplish. Major nations and countless NGO's have tried and failed.
So, what chance would one solitary person in Canada have to accomplish such a daunting task.
Virtually none
I mean what can one person realistically accomplish? I've been thinking about that for many years (36 to be exact).
But perhaps you have heard the saying the journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step. I might also add that it also starts with preparation, good shoes, and a destination! But the fact remains that even the most daunting task starts with the first step.
In my case that first step is to create an Agroforestry project.
Can one project save a country or a continent?
Of course not. That would just be silly. However, one agroforestry project can certainly serve a useful purpose. It can feed ONE family. It can educate ONE village. It can serve as a spark to light a beacon that others can follow.
The benefits of a spark
When I was in Pharmacy school we learned about a term called Energy of Activation which is a fancy name for saying that when you have all the necessary ingredients for a reaction to take place there needs to be a spark (energy) to get things started.
The easiest way to think of this is starting a campfire. Have you ever tried starting a campfire? It not as easy as just taking a match and putting it against a piece of wood. If you do that you are just wasting a match! The campfire has to be set up correctly. There has to be small kindling, larger fuel which should all be dry and then stacked properly to allow proper airflow. In short it has to be prepared and ready for the spark.
However, once a fire has started it can spread from place to place as long as the conditions are right.
In the same way an idea can be a spark. I've heard many times from my Nigerian friends that the country needs to change and develop. I don't remember anyone from there saying "Everything is great. No problem. No worries" However, ideas on how to make things better are in short supply.
Well, I have an idea. A spark to try to light a fire. Perhaps it will be like many matches that I've lit trying to start a campfire and end up doing absolutely nothing. However, I'd rather light a match and try rather than sit back and moan there isn't a fire. I'd rather spend my little energy trying to spark hope and help others than sit back and do nothing.
I think that encapsulates Christamas. One man. One baby. One spark. To change the world. Many people are not Christians and do not believe in Jesus claims. However, I would argue that few in the world would say that the one man, Jesus, forever changed the world.
A spark
What is Ikigai?
look to the center for purpose/Ikigai
Ever heard of Ikigai? It is a Japanese word which encapsulates the purpose of a person's life. Without purpose people wither and die. Without purpose there is nothing to wake up for and nothing to look forward to. As I get older, I believe I need purpose. As a Christian I have one that was given in the Bible:
- Love the Lord (God) with all my heart and
- Love others as myself.
Well, I've lived my whole life trusting in God, that part is easy. However, loving others is hard. I'm not a people person. I'm very much a person who wants to stay at home with family and avoid going out. That doesn't let me off the hook though. Love others as myself
So, if I have to find purpose--it has been given to me. I just have to find a way to "Love others as myself" while still being able to stay at home. Enter the Agroforestry plan. Spend my life tending an orchard with a few others to help. Then when harvest time comes sell some to cover expenses and give away the rest to help others in need. Sounds like a good way to spend my life. My Ikigai.
Retirement
Retirement is scary. It is saying goodbye to the life I knew and trying to find a new life before I get old, get weak, and die. However, as we look for New Years it is sort of like a retirement party. Saying goodbye to the old year and saying hello to the new one!
Ikigai and retirement go hand in hand. Up until now I lived my early life for my parents and learning at school. In my adult life I lived for my wife, my children and my job. In my late life I life to support my spouse and enjoy my Ikigai--work with purpose.
Many elderly in Canada plant gardens. They tend beautiful flower beds, they grow fruit trees and gardens. A senior citizens garden is typically quite something to behold. Ultimately though these people die and the gardens fade along with them. I'd like something more durable.
Permaculture or Agroforestry is just that. I want my garden to be one that I plant once and it continues long beyond my years. Indeed in my province some research scientists found a permaculture setup that was started well over 200 years ago. Before the time of European settlers. The original planters and tenders are long gone. However, for the last century or longer the bushes and trees have been providing food and shelter for the denizens of the forest. Even today a person could go there at harvest season and have a bounty of fruits and berries to eat.
Food for now and food for the future. A legacy that lasts long beyond my years. Sounds good to me. Especially if I can make a little money for my coming years while feeding and growing the community around me.
Wishes, dreams, and Hard Work
In answer to the #HiveLearners prompt? What is my one wish for Christmas? To finally find a way to start my Permaculture / Agroforestry dream. It's been a dream since I first heard of Agroforestry 21 years ago. A wish I very much hope to come true. However, dreams and wishes never come true without preparation, hard work and a plan. Well, I have a plan, I've been preparing forever, and once I finally get to retire maybe I'll be able to do the hard work. Then again, with the power of Hive perhaps I'll find people to partner with me.
As the saying goes "Many hands make light work".
Thanks for reading,
As always, please leave comments
Side Note: This is just Part #1. I told @jjmusa2004 that I would write a more detailed post about my Agriculture plans in an upcoming post. That will be Part #2. I also hope that @monica-ene will throw her agricultural knowledge behind that and let me know if I'm just a foolish dreamer.