Mustard Seeds, grief, and the healing power of community

By Scott Pedemonte

There is a Buddhist parable about healing from grief through community. The story begins with a mother who lost her small child. Unable to move on and overcome with grief, she carries her baby from healer to healer, looking for someone who can save him. When she finally encounters the Buddah he tells her that he can fix this, and to do so, he will need mustard seeds. But not just any mustard seeds, they need to come from the home of a family that has not been touched by the loss of a family member. The mother goes to every home in the village looking for a family that has not had some tragedy beset upon them. She continues to every home in the surrounding valley, but still she is unable to find a home that has not been touched by loss. Returning to the Buddah, she tells him she could not find a family and asks if there is another way. He then reveals to her that there was never a way to heal her child, but what he had intended to do all along was to heal her. Every person in the world experiences sadness, loss, grief, and tragedy, but it is the connection with our fellow humans that pulls us through. When times are tough, it is our community and shared humanity that lifts us up.

At Slow Food, we believe in creating a better food system. We believe that food can and should be grown sustainably. We believe that food should nurture our bodies and souls. We believe that food is a major driver of culture and community. We believe that people who grow and prepare our food are essential, deserve dignity and respect, and should be treated fairly. These beliefs can be boiled down to our short, three word catch phrase: Good, Clean, Fair. But there is another phrase that is often said in Slow Food communities: Joy and Justice.

Many of us have watched the news recently with fear, anger, grief, and confusion. There is so much uncertainty in our country and around the world right now. Much of the burden has fallen on our most vulnerable communities. So many of us watch events unfold with no idea what to do or what is going to happen. I am not going to pretend to have the answers or tell you to protest, call your senator or anything like that. That is a decision each person needs to make for themselves. What I can tell you is that there has never been a better time to lean into your community. Portland is an amazing place, filled with some of the most passionate and kind people I have ever had the privilege to meet. This community truly cares about each other. When the government shutdown threatened food security, Heretic Coffee raised over $300,000 in donations to feed people affected by the SNAP crisis. The Oregon Food Bank had record donations. Farmers from around the area shifted to a pay what you can model and many donated hundreds of pounds of food to make sure nobody went hungry. All of this has been happening by a diverse network of local groups long before the SNAP crisis, and that work continues to this day. The examples of Portlanders stepping up for each other are endless.

So when you're feeling overwhelmed by all the troubling events around the country, think about the healing power of connecting with your community. Invite some friends over and spend time sharing a home cooked meal with them. Stop and chat with a neighbor when you're out for a walk. Invite a family member for a cup of tea. Go for a walk around one of our amazing parks with a friend. Volunteer at a food pantry or farmers market. We're not going to say this will solve all the problems we face, but it will make it all more bearable to do it together. Being in community can help us create a world more filled with those other two things we stand for here at Slow Food: Joy and Justice.