Monday, March 29, 2010

Get Out of the Car

It's a blowy, leaf fluttering day. I just finished practice outside on the deck with the sound of my neighbors--the songbirds--serenading me.

Frances and I worked hard this past week to educate and activate people in the region regarding a proposed zoning change that goes before the Bayfield County Board tomorrow night. The developers of this project hope to turn 380 acres of forested land into a jet-capable runway with a boutique hotel, condos, and upscale single family housing.

Designed for an elite clientele its main benefit to the community appears to be the potential for low-paying jobs (which, in our struggling Town, is considered a benefit over no jobs). If approved, Shadow Wood Landing paves the way for large-scale development here in the middle of the woods as well as in other locations throughout Bayfield County.

Silence--and bird song--have been several of the greatest treasures I've experienced living in my woodsy home. I'm opposed to this rezone request and I needed to get involved ... to actually do something.

Needless to say, my engine is running on overdrive. T'ai chi chih moving meditation allows me to downshift to a cruising speed instead of continually circling the track as if I were behind the wheel in a high speed race. Too many thoughts, too much struggle, and too many doubts return me to my practice everyday. And it is here--in the midst of my practice--that I rediscover the peace and silence that called me to this form 16 years ago.

T'ai chi chih is so much more than a simple gift of light and life. In my case, and in the aforementioned instance, it's like a speed trap that reminds me to slow down and get out of the car.

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