The Clearwater Farm needs your help!

We have reached just over 1800. We have not yet reached our need of 5000, but this is 1800 we did not have at the beginning of December, and for that we are blessed and grateful.

Solstice has just come and gone and now today is Christmas Eve, with a new moon tonight. What a powerful time for introspection and the setting of intentions. At the Clearwater Farm, we like to light candles and let them burn in reminder of those things for which we pray, for ourselves and for others. You can be sure that our farm is aglow!

In times of such strain, it is so easy to devolve into bitterness. My mother suggested, eyes (perpetually) shining, that we watch “It’s A Wonderful Life” for the holiday. And I was momentarily frozen with such spite at the thought: A character dallies with suicide but comes to his senses rejuvenated and enlivened, and a family of good people in desperate need finds abundance in the miraculous rallying of its community. Bitterly, I realized how neither of these held true for us. How are we supposed to echo the chorus of “it’s a wonderful life!”?

But in my heart, I cannot deny it for more than a moment: It IS a wonderful life. It is strange, complicated, and filled with learning opportunities I may feel like I am not ready for, or that I do not understand, or that I don’t think I can handle (or should have to). But in spite of that—-maybe because of it—-as I am stretched to my capacity and somehow find the ability to stretch further yet; as I watch my mother remain good and steadfast and hopeful in the light of intense adversity; as I watch my family rally in comfort and strength, I realize that it is an IMMENSELY wonderful life.

My Christmas miracle may not look like I thought it might—-ah, swift, relieving prosperity for my family!—-but as I consider it, a whole lot of life looks mighty different than I thought it might. And still we remain blessed, and genuinely grateful to see another day.

In the beautiful symbolism of Solstice, when dark days come to an end and the Light grows and flourishes, may ALL of those of us who are finding hardship or need be met with hope for brighter days soon to come. And may we keep it in our hearts in times of darkness—-especially in times of darkness—-that it is, indeed, a wonderful life.

Merry Christmas, friends.

With your generosity and compassion, we’ve raised just over 1/5 of our goal! Thank you, friends, for your donations, for your kind words, and for keeping hope afloat. 

We’re so thankful you’re here. The Clearwater Farm has meant a great deal to a great many people, and now it’s those people, you, who have the ability to help save it.

As many of you know, the past year has brought profound changes which are threatening to undermine the sovereignty of the Farm, the last of which was the recent and untimely death of the proprietor’s husband. The end of the year marks an immediate and dire fiscal deadline. We are in need of at least $5000 by December 31st to save the farm, and more funds will be necessary at the onset of the new year if we are to remain afloat.

We have worked tirelessly against the currents for over a decade, and it is with no lack of fight that our fiscal burden weighs on us.  With little else but hope, the Farm is turning its vision outward to its community of friends.

Life is humbling, mysterious, and complicated, but beautiful—-always beautiful. The deadline looms large, but we remain blessed in what we still have and hopeful for the future. Thank you, dear ones.