The place for things green in the City Beautiful
Have you ever heard the story of Stone Soup? It’s one of those timeless stories that talks about how, by itself, a community can only get so far; the ingredients seem bland and lacking. But together, with everyone pitching just a few little scraps into the boiling water, we can stir together something wonderful, a tasty Stone Soup.
We are hard-wired for community. Despite wherever we find ourselves upon the extraverted-introverted continuum, there is a basic and powerful element fused within our emotional DNA that seeks meaningful connections.
Writing this in the midst of the nasty and passionate 2004 general election season, I remember my political coming of age of 12 years ago-or perhaps it is better described as a political balancing act.
Every morning we ride our bikes with our son to school. Sometimes we skate, or even walk. You probably see us as you drive by and think we’re nuts, or that have too much time on our hands. I see you pass by and wonder why you haven’t figured out our secret!
Recently I have had the dubious privilege of possessing a set of school photographs taken of me during the mid 1970s.
Strep throat was consuming my health, my awareness, my movements. Yet, the actor in me knew the show must go on.
Media and art for years now have sought to shock us and bombard us into paying attention. To rise above the noise and hype, artists and venues have resorted to what the many call “negative art,” using tactics that scare us into paying attention. Ads that show a burly thief breaking into your home, threatening your family, selling alarm systems. As a result, modern art often falls short.
Each breaking dawn demands of us the tasks we must accomplish, the problems we must solve, the relationships we must manage. We need not proactively fill our calendars with many meetings, appointments and errands—life will happily and often subconsciously do so for us.
About a decade ago I published a newspaper column declaring my universal disdain for running. It hurt my shins, I bemoaned. It made me itchy, I groused.
We have a creeping tendency to live within the prison of our “shoulds” and “oughts.” Disappointment in decisions we have made, or results left by the hand of fate–often shaded by our own misperceptions–can plague us and engender a vicious cycle of regret.
Brevard County turns off its lights during turtle nesting season. No big deal you say? Can you see the implications? Can you imagine the ramifications? To me, it shows a deeper story, a profound quality that sets us apart from so many other communities. To me, it shows that there is yet hope.
Growing up in the Daytona Beach, Florida area, the ocean was always nearby. It was a place to clear my head, to refocus, to dream again.
We committed to helping preserve and improve the quality of life available to all residents of the State of Florida. Our mission is to help individuals, families, businesses and organizations reach their fullest potential and accomplish their evolving goals.
“Green” can mean many things. For us, it first defines the natural beauty of Brevard County and our desire to see it preserved. But beyond environmental issues, thinking “green” encompasses many aspects of intentional living that keep us balanced, healthy and inspired.
I am ready to buy a new car. With the emerging crop of hybrids out there, I’m eager to leave a smaller footprint, use less gas and leave less smog behind. The first step, as with this article, is research!
When we sit and reflect on the recent hurricanes we think primarily of the wind and rain, then the damage inflicted to our houses and businesses. For many the cleanup process had us out in the humidity picking up our broken fences and roof tiles. We created neat little piles of trash as chainsaws could be heard through the neighborhoods, trucks hauling off loads of debris, load after load.
The Gospel of Mark, Chapter 12:38-44, tells the story of Jesus observing the gift offered by a poor widow who enters the Temple in the midst of all the other would-be worshippers.
After the current election season, it’s well understood that we live in a divided nation. On the outside it seems that the pressing issues that separate us are all about war, or terrorism or national security. Maybe the economy figures in, or health care or Social Security.
Life can leave us fragmented and without cohesion. Society often has communicated a not-so-subtle message that we have multiple selves; there’s the self we are at home, the self we are at work, the self we are with friends, the self we are at the gym, and even the self we are at church, the temple, the mosque, and so forth.
Dr. Wanda Bethea looks toward the future of Brevard County and envisions a number of key persons and groups working together to create a multi-faceted synergy that keeps the Space Coast on the cutting edge.
4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.”
Melissa Delker is the Associate Pastor at Melbourne’s First United Methodist Church, the red brick building with the golden steeple on New Haven, just next to historic downtown. She is a wonderful person, in the pulpit and at Celebrations Café, the church’s informal gathering place. We caught up with her hectic schedule and asked her to talk about how she balances her church life with family.
Are you interested in learning more about the natural areas in your own backyard but don’t know where to start? Then Local Knowledge is the guided nature tour service for you. Operating out of Indialantic, Local Knowledge offers fun trips into the outdoors for groups, families, and visitors to the central Florida area. Anthony Poponi runs Local Know, an outdoor tour company, offering hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and boating tours to guests of any interest level or age level.
That’s the question that started this effort. With Brevard County’s current rapid development, concerned citizens must ask themselves, “What will life be like if we do not take steps to manage growth?