Dear readers,
I apologize for my long absence. The last few months have
been full of uncertainty and tough decisions; my father’s dementia has
deteriorated further after a long urinary tract infection. Thankfully, he is
currently free from the infection at last and safely residing in an assisted
living facility.
Unfortunately, I have recently lost a dear friend and
avid reader of this blog. I met Christine Grovenstein several years ago when a
friend introduced us because of our shared love of organic farming. Christine
ran an organic blueberry farm in Lithia, Seeds of Love, and you may have had
the chance to try her beautiful berries at your local grocery store. It was always
a treat to go to the farm, not only to learn from Christine, but also to snack
on these delicious fruits that I knew had been cultivated with love and care.
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| Seeds of Love blueberries |
Not only were her blueberry bushes gorgeous and prolific,
but Christine devoted a lot of her efforts to preserving the wildness of her
acreage. Unlike other farmers in her area, Christine’s land was bursting with
life and diversity. The land was home to stands of enormous trees—scrub oaks
and laurel oaks—as well as other native and edible landscaping. She had built a
labyrinth and a Medicine Wheel. In the 25 years or so that she was the
caretaker of that land, she allowed herself to be enriched by every living
thing that shared that space with her. For most of her time on the farm, she
lived there alone. Christine was incredibly in tune with nature and her
connection to the plants and wildlife was something to behold. The land was
sacred to her, and working it was a ceremony that she did with love every
single day. She called the land her source, and indeed it was a source of
inspiration and beauty to every person who walked upon it.
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| Christine overlooking her land, her source |
When she wasn’t taking care of her beautiful land and
farm, she was off traveling. She had been a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala
when she was in her 40’s and she returned to Central America often. Her partner
Dan had a boat and they had many adventures together at sea. She loved
elephants and had traveled to many far corners of the world to care for them. By
the way she worked the land and lived her adventurous life, it was hard to
believe that Christine was in her 70’s.
She went through hardships, too. In the last years of her
life, she valiantly battled Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. She was treated
unfairly by the National Organic Program, even after 25 back-breaking years as
a small organic grower. But she never let any of that get in the way of her
dreams and goals. She continued to pour her heart into the land. This past
September, Christine wrote to me about her experience of losing nearly 80 trees
to Hurricane Irma: “The petrified wood of old laurel trunks reminds me of the
strength I must have that comes from all storms in life.” Indeed, she had
weathered many storms, but she had learned and grown wise by withstanding them.
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| Enjoying the full moon at Seeds of Love farm |
Over the years, Christine and I became very close. I introduced her to as many
women friends as I could, wishing to share Christine’s passion and energy with them.
She was a fierce fighter of justice, and I told her often how inspiring she was
to me. Ours was a special friendship, and I know that her spirit will continue
to live on in me. I will continue to be inspired by the beautiful and ambitious
way that she lived her life until the very end. Age, illness, and injustice did
not stop her. She was always generous with her time, with her land, with her
energy, with her knowledge, with her spirit. I hope to give as much to the
world as Christine did. I feel very lucky to have known her.
I will never forget the connection that we shared. Her words
will continue to guide me as I move forward in life.
“I see such goodness in you with a wonderful life ahead
full of adventure, love, and service. It is a spark in me to have shared what
we have. I want to say that so that you go knowing the admiration I have come
to have for you. It is a blessing to have a friend as you in life. It just
makes life warmer.”
Thank you, Christine, for your life, your love, and your
friendship.
Having a friend like you in my life has also made my life warmer.
I
love you.
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| Thank you for your life, Christine. We love you and miss you. |
Most photos have been taken from her Facebook page. Some are from my own collection.
