For the December NYC’s Secrets & Lies storytelling show at the South Street Seaport Museum, I baked 300+ cookies for our guests. All the recipes had a historical backstory and a maritime connection to match the theme of our show and the beautiful venue.
I’ve gotten messages asking for the recipes and the stories behind them, so here they are! Swipe through the photos to find the recipe cards and the history behind each cookie.
I hope you enjoy baking up a bit of NYC history with:
– The Captain’s Lie (New Amsterdam Lemon Jumbles)
– Sweet Corruption (Spiced Molasses Gingerbread)
– The Original Hustle (Dutch Shortbread Trefoils a la the Girl Scouts)
Since it’s cookie season, I’d love to see your baking pics! Happy baking!
3 weeks ago, I hurt my back volunteering at a dog adoption event. Old shoes. 8 hours standing on concrete in cold weather. Lifting things far too heavy for me to lift alone and lifting them incorrectly. Anti-cancer meds for 5 years that impact my joints, muscles, and bones. A strenuous workout 2 days before. A big grocery shop and carry that evening. It was a recipe for a back emergency, and I’d served it up to myself like a master of disaster.
Healing isn’t linear; it’s a continuum. The last few weeks have been a bumpy road. I went to my oncology appointment on Tuesday. (I go every 3 months to see my team, get bloodwork, and get a shot and infusion.) I was in the waiting room for 30 minutes and wondered why I hadn’t been called for my bloodwork yet. They forgot to tell me I needed to go to a different floor. I was worried all my appointments would now be delayed so I grabbed my bag in a hurry and threw my back into a spasm. I yelped.
Then of course my blood pressure and one of my blood levels that’s a marker for muscle damage was slightly elevated (weeks of back pain will do that.) With great empathy and understanding, my doctor gave me muscle relaxers. She said to come back in a month to recheck that blood level. “I’m not at all worried, Christa,” she said. “But I know you and I know you’ll worry so we’ll recheck for your peace of mind.”
When I got home, I sunk into a warm bath and cried because my back hurt; I hate the side effects of my meds; I miss my dog, so much of life feels unfair and out of my control. Sometimes it all feels like a house of cards; one shakes and the tower falters. So, I let it crash around me, shattering.
I pulled myself together and got out of the tub. A few minutes later the full extent of the spasm really kicked in. The pain surged to a frightening level-10/10– like my body was breaking. I gobbled the muscle relaxer and climbed into bed, praying it would kick in. I tried to empty my mind and count my blessings. Then I just let the thoughts come without trying to direct them. I had survived so many dark nights before. Surely this couldn’t be as bad as the worst of them. I woke up 10 hours later. Stiff but the terrifying knot in my back was gone, replaced with a dull ache.
For the next few days, the pain kept moving around my back. My body was trying to re-center herself. Trying to protect me while also asking my mind for help. I was so afraid I’d never feel better. Now would I always be a person with a bad back?
I called my friend, Alex, which I often do when I don’t know what to do. As always, she talked me down off the ledge. It turns out I don’t have a bad back, I had a battered back. Alex assured me all my fears were normal. Get yourself a friend like Alex. Learning to move in a different and ever-changing body requires effort. With this injury, my mind and body were doing the necessary work. When we got off the phone, my back felt better. The next day it felt even better. I turned the corner thanks to muscle relaxers, heat therapy, massage, a sauna visit, stretching, time, and Alex. Healing isn’t a solo sport; it’s as much about community as it is about medicine.
Our back is the foundation of our health and ability to move, literally and figuratively. When the foundation falters, everything built on top of it shifts. We have to maintain the foundation. Castles in the air don’t rise. They need a stable base, and so do we. Rest, heat, stretch, repeat until the healing’s complete.
My back showed me I’ve been holding myself back on a number of fronts, and I’m done doing that. As my therapist, Brian, has told me many times, our injuries often come to hone us, not harm us. It’s worth the time and energy to do this fundamental work. We are worthy of our own time, attention, and care.
Our team of volunteers at last week’s City Harvest repack event
The Repack: What Happens When a Community Shows Up
Last week, I was deeply moved by the incredible generosity and hard work of the volunteers at City Harvest. We were there because of the enormous, urgent need created by current economic pressures and the fallout of the government shutdown, which is impacting vital food assistance programs for New Yorkers.
Together, we accomplished something phenomenal:
We helped repack 40,000 pounds of bulk fresh produce into 7,710 household-sized bags—the second-highest number of bags ever packed at the City Harvest Food Rescue Center since 2022!
This food is critical right now as City Harvest ramps up to serve neighborhoods with the highest populations of SNAP recipients. They expect to distribute over 1 million more pounds of food this November than they did last November.
We showed up and showed out, and it was a joy to be part of this community effort, even though I wish it wasn’t necessary.
The NYC Food Insecurity Crisis is Real
The need for this emergency support is stark, especially as the government shutdown has delayed or complicated critical aid. Our fellow workers, friends, and neighbors are struggling to put food on the table.
In New York City, approximately 1.73 million residents receive SNAP benefits. That’s 1 in 5 New Yorkers.
In Brooklyn alone (where I live and where City Harvest has its headquarters), that number is over 700,000. That’s 1 in 4 Brooklyn residents.
This work with City Harvest is personal to me because I grew up food insecure and my family received government-backed public assistance including WIC funding and at my school I was part of the free lunch program. As an adult who climbed out of that situation though education, hard work, and the generosity of these supportive government programs, giving back means a lot to me.
Why City Harvest is a Game-Changer (A Two-Part Solution)
City Harvest doesn’t just feed people; it’s a massive champion for the environment, tackling the staggering problem of food waste head-on.
From City Harvest
How You Can Be Part of the Solution
The work we did last week is ongoing. Join the City Harvest family!
This work isn’t just about charity; it’s about Togetherhood. Let’s continue to show up for our community and ensure that healthy, quality food goes to tables, not landfills.
Italians have their priorities straight. I had the privilege to be in Rome for a week with my sister. It’s her favorite city and I see why. (Also huge thanks to her for arranging our entire trip and for taking this photo of St. Peter’s through Rome’s Aventine Keyhole with a line of ornery, inpatient teenagers behind her!) It was so fun to see dear friends, Julie and Brian, who were also in Rome. And Julie was one of the people who encouraged me to take this whole trip!
Rome is a thriving, livable city. It feels comfortable and easy. Forgiving. It takes its time because it knows it has time. Weathering thousands of years of history, often brutal and bloody, gives Romans perspective. People don’t rush in a place that’s eternal. They go out late. They linger. They rest.
Art is everywhere. Everything is art – a statue, the way the water runs through a fountain, a twirl of spaghetti, the language, the winding of a road, a sculpted scoop of gelato, a swirl of rich balsamic vinegar in green-tinted, earthy olive oil. A Roman life is a masterpiece that goes on and on.
Only take what you need. Just enough food. Just enough water. Your salad doesn’t need to drown in dressing. Your house doesn’t need to make a statement. Your tiny car is parked sideways to make room for more people traveling via different modes of transport. Take what you need and leave the rest for others. It’s a minimalist life, not a maximalist one, that offers a greater reward – freedom from the weight of physical things and knowing that neighbors have what they need because you didn’t overindulge.
Walk the streets at any time and be entertained, be joyful, be at ease. It’s not about spectacle. It’s just about living every simple, singular moment. That’s all there is. That’s all there needs to be.
There’s fresh spring water from fountains available to everyone all over the city. More hydration, less plastic bottle trash. Laughter and live music provide the soundtrack for the streets. On these days of simple microjoys, I wanted for nothing. Everything I needed was here. In a city of abundance, I found it made me want less because I wasn’t worried about having enough. What a gift.
Now back home in America, I’m going to keep Roman living top of mind and close to my heart. It has much to teach us about living well and sustainably, thriving in hard times, and caring for our neighbors.
Award-winning artist and NJ native Rich Tu designed the NY/NJ poster intended to “reflect the vibrancy and diversity that define this region.” Image from City of Jersey City Official Government Facebook Page.
The excitement for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already building, and as New York and New Jersey prepare to host a significant portion of this global spectacle including the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026, there’s a powerful opportunity to set a new standard for environmentally sustainable mega-events. Large-scale sporting events inherently have a substantial environmental footprint, from carbon emissions due to travel and energy consumption to vast amounts of waste generated. However, by embracing innovative and comprehensive green strategies, the NY/NJ World Cup can truly “score green goals” and leave a lasting positive legacy for our planet.
FIFA has already outlined a sustainability and human rights strategy for the 2026 World Cup, focusing on sustainable infrastructure, mitigating climate impact, reducing air pollution, and promoting water efficiency. Building on this, here’s how New York and New Jersey can lead the way:
1. Transportation Transformation: Moving the Masses Sustainably
Prioritize Public Transit: This is perhaps the single most impactful area. With New York and New Jersey’s extensive public transportation networks, a concerted effort to heavily promote and incentivize their use for fans, staff, and athletes is crucial. This includes clear signage, dedicated routes, extended service hours, and potentially even event-specific transit passes.
Active Travel Promotion: Encourage walking and cycling to venues where feasible. This means creating safe and accessible pedestrian pathways and ample, secure bike parking facilities.
Low-Emission Fleets: For official tournament vehicles, prioritize electric or hybrid vehicles. This extends to shuttle services for teams and VIPs.
Efficient Air Travel: Work with airlines to encourage direct flights and optimize routes to reduce emissions from air travel, which is a major contributor to the event’s carbon footprint.
2. Venue Virtuosity: Sustainable Infrastructure and Operations
Energy Efficiency and Renewables: Leverage existing stadiums like MetLife Stadium and Red Bull Arena. Implement aggressive energy efficiency measures, such as LED lighting and smart HVAC systems. Explore opportunities for on-site renewable energy generation (solar panels) and ensure all electricity used for the tournament is sourced from renewable energy providers.
Waste Not, Want Not: Implement a robust, multi-stream waste management system across all venues and fan zones. This means clearly labeled bins for recycling, composting, and landfill. The goal should be to minimize waste to landfill, focusing on a circular economy approach where materials are reused or recycled. Eliminate Single-Use Plastics: Ban single-use plastic bottles and foodware, encouraging reusable alternatives or offering compostable options. Food Waste Reduction: Partner with local food banks to donate unconsumed food and implement composting programs for food scraps.
Water Conservation: Implement water-saving fixtures and practices at venues and associated facilities. Explore rainwater harvesting for irrigation and other non-potable uses.
Sustainable Procurement: Prioritize sourcing materials, merchandise, and food from local, ethical, and environmentally responsible suppliers. This reduces transportation emissions and supports the local economy. Consider sustainable building certifications for any necessary temporary structures.
3. Fan and Community Engagement: A Collective Effort
Educate and Empower: Use the World Cup platform to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainable practices among fans. This can be done through interactive displays, public service announcements, and engagement campaigns.
“Green Team” Volunteers: Recruit and train a dedicated “green team” of volunteers to assist with waste sorting, guide fans on sustainable transportation, and promote eco-friendly behaviors. If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer for the event in any capacity (green or otherwise!), you can sign up now at https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/volunteers
Local Partnerships: Collaborate with local environmental organizations, community groups, and businesses to implement sustainability initiatives and foster a lasting green legacy beyond the tournament.
Carbon Offsetting: While reduction is paramount, for unavoidable emissions, invest in high-quality, verifiable carbon offsetting projects that benefit local communities and ecosystems. However, transparency and accuracy in reporting are crucial to avoid “greenwashing.”
A Lasting Legacy
The 2026 FIFA World Cup offers more than just thrilling matches; it’s a chance for New York and New Jersey to demonstrate global leadership in sustainable event management. By meticulously planning and rigorously implementing these green initiatives, the tournament can inspire future large-scale events and leave a tangible, positive environmental legacy for generations to come. Let’s make the 2026 World Cup a true testament to the power of sport to drive positive change for our planet.
Have you ever thought about bees as your life or career coaches? As an aspiring beekeeper, I’m fascinated by how these incredible creatures live and work. Their hives are a model combination of structure and flexibility.
Experts versus generalists
Some bees are genetically predisposed to have certain talents making them suitable for specific jobs. Others prefer to learn new skills and have new experiences, so they may hold a whole host of different jobs. Some have multiple jobs at the same time. Most bees are generalists; they cycle through different jobs at different stages of their lives and depending upon what the hive needs at any one time.
By nature, I’m curious and have an interest in a lot of different areas. None of us is just one thing. We contain multitudes. We can live our lives spherically, in many different directions, and be better for it.
Unified by a common purpose
While each bee has their talents and preferences, all of them work in service of their hive. They have one guiding mission – to perpetuate the health and longevity of their hive long after any one individual has passed away. For example, middle aged bees usually begin foraging. However, if the population of the hive needs to increase to maintain its health, a middle-aged bee will delay the foraging portion of their lives in favor of tending to the brood of baby bees (known as larvae.) Similarly, if the population of the hive is booming and more foragers are needed to collect nectar, pollen, and water to keep the hive healthy, she will begin to forage sooner than middle age.
This reminds of looking at our career choices through three lenses: what are we good at, what does the world need, and what do we enjoy doing? What is our higher purpose, and how do our lives and careers serve that purpose?
Managing career transitions
Though a worker honeybee only lives for a month or two, she often holds many jobs in that time and sometimes has more than one job at once. As soon as she emerges from her cell, a young bee gets to work around the hive, cleaning brood cells (including the one from which she just emerged) so that the queen bee can lay new eggs. Younger bees work inside the hive (like a child learning to do chores around the house) and older, more experienced bees work outside the hive, foraging for nectar, pollen, and water. Bees are never afraid to try something new, to be beginners. They are secure in their abilities, and they believe in one another’s abilities.
Whenever I’m trying something new, I think of bees and try to have the courage and confidence they have. Being part of a team means we’re never alone in our work. We’re all in it together.
Caring for the next generation
Taking care of their community is the north star for bees. Caring for future generations is the whole reason they do what they do. A nurse bee feeds and cares for thousands of developing bees, as well as the adult bees in the hive. Nurse bees also build new comb while caring for their bee family and build it with surprising speed. It’s a collaborative effort, with each bee playing their part in service to all the other bees and their collective future.
No one is an island. Taking care of each other in our community is also a way to take care of ourselves.
Minding their home
In addition to building comb, some bees are especially skilled at helping to maintain the temperature and humidity of the hive as weather conditions change. A hive is a dynamic place. When the temperature rises or plummets, or when drought sets in, environmentally inclined bees get to work using their bodies to heat and cool the hive so that their home and the bees who live there remain in tip top shape.
It’s easy for us to be heads-down on our work and consumed with our own lives. It’s worth taking a look around and seeing how we might be able to help the whole system in which we operate. We’ll be better off, and so will our neighbors, if the whole system works better for everyone.
Adventure awaits
As stated before, middle-aged bees begin the foraging chapter of their lives. They start by taking some test flights close to the hive to get their bearings. Within a matter of hours, they get the lay of the land and begin foraging for nectar, pollen, and water. What they collect, how much they collect, how many foraging trips they take per day, how far they travel, and if they attempt to multi-task by collecting more than one kind of material in a single trip depends upon the needs of the hive and the depth of the bee’s experience. Once she arrives back at her hive with the goods, she passes them off to receivers at the entrance of the hive before she either takes a rest or heads back out to forage again.
We spend a lot of time in our comfort zone. Getting out into the world gives us new perspective and benefits our community when we return with new knowledge and new experience.
Communication
The exchange of goods between foragers and receivers is thought to be a time for the bees to communicate. It’s possible that the receiver is letting the forager know what’s happening around the hive so that the forager is able to head out into the world to collect what the hive needs. The forager is letting the collector know what’s happening outside the hive.
If a forager is waiting a long time for a collector to take what she’s brought back, she will also begin to recruit more bees inside the hive to act as collectors, maximizing the efficiency of all of the foragers. She has agency to create a change. Foragers only travel from sunrise to sunset, and sleep through the night, so time is of the essence during daylight hours. Communication keeps the hive humming, literally and figuratively.
Our communities are healthier and happier when communication flows freely between members. Tell your stories and listen to the stories of others. We’re all better off when we share.
Rest
While we’ve given the proverbial title of worker bee to someone who’s always busy, bees prioritize rest for a very good reason – a tired bee doesn’t communicate nor navigate as well as a rested bee. The world is a treacherous place. To survive and thrive, and help her hive do the same, a bee must be well-rested and well-fed.
How many times do we tell ourselves, “Just push through,” when what we really need is to rest and recharge? Make like a bee and take a break. Nourish yourself. You’ll feel and work better when you take better care of yourself.
Looking to the future
No one home will suit a hive forever. While many bees spend their lives tending to the present needs of the hive, someone has to be on the lookout for what’s next. Scouts, who know the neighborhood well from their foraging, are consistently searching for the next home, and the next food and water sources. They will sometimes overnight in a new place to check it out as a potential future home for her hive. Once a home is chosen by the hive, a scout leads the entire swarm to that home, as she is one of the only bees in the hive to have ever been there.
While it’s important to be present, there’s also value to looking ahead every so often, too. Where might we want to go? What might be a future area of learning and experience for us? How might we refill the well?
So often the way we live and work is out of sync with how nature operates. How might our lives and careers be transformed if we took a page out of the bees’ book, establishing a flexible structure in our lives, careers, and communities that takes care of every member and allows every member to contribute?
Let me tell you a story. Picture it. Sicily, 1922… Seriously, though the story of these 2 babies and their sisters, Rose and Blanche, is a doozy.
In Queens, a member of the Muddy Paws Rescue community observed horrid conditions of backyard breeders. Their adult male and female bloodhounds had a litter of 4 puppies in mid-December. The parents and puppies were left outside, in all weather conditions, with no shelter and not enough food. Muddy Paws offered resources to have the adult dogs altered. The people refused that help though they did agree to give her the puppies so we could find homes for them. (I’m going to find out what can be done to help the adult dogs who are still with those people. More on that later…)
Despite their difficult start, Sophia and Dorothy are incredible dogs. They don’t show any signs of trauma. They are floppy, happy, energetic, gorgeous puppies. They love each other, share everything, and are either wrestling, eating, or napping on top of each other. That they’re even alive is amazing. That they’re alive, completely healthy, and well-adjusted is a miracle. They’ll need training of course, as all dogs do, and I can’t wait to see them shine in their new forever homes whenever they get adopted.
Right now, they’re indoor only puppies until they get all of their vaccines. They’ve been keeping me busy as we figure out how to set up my apartment and get into a routine. I think we’re doing pretty well considering I’ve never had puppies this young and never had 2 dogs at once. I haven’t looked much at the news, which has been a welcome reprieve, and they’ve brought me so much joy and laughter.
Today I sent their photos and wrote their profiles for their adoption pages that will be on the Muddy Paws Rescue website this week. They’ll be at the adoption event this coming Saturday, February 22nd. No matter how long I end up having them – whether it’s 1 week or many weeks – I’ll be forever grateful to them for showing me that how we start is just that. It’s only a beginning. Those we meet along our path can change everything.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is doing regular Instagram Live events about what’s happening in this new administration and actions we can all take. These events help us understand what underpins everything that’s happening and why it’s happening. Knowing this information can help us stay calm and focus our energy into actions that will move the needle.
I didn’t know 99% of what AOC explains in this week’s Live event, and I read all day, every day. I watch the news constantly. The media and the opinions of friends and family members, no matter their jobs and past experience, are not facts. Many think they’re experts in what’s happening and almost no one is because what’s happening is unprecedented. Past experience isn’t a guide because we’re not living in the same world we were in two weeks ago. The only people who actually see the entire landscape are those on the ground right now, in the room where it happens inside the Capitol Building. That’s exactly why AOC is doing these Live events.
Here is the biggest thing you need to know: A massive tax break for the rich with a looming deadline, Medicaid, Department of Defense spending and the tech industry (including AI), immigration, prisons, and the GOP are all connected.
Tax breaks In 2017, this president and the GOP forced through one of the biggest tax giveaways to the rich in U.S. history — a total of ~$4 trillion. For example, they include tax write-offs on private jets and yachts. These tax breaks sunset this year. Not only does this administration want to extend them but they also want to expand them.
Medicaid Where will they find $4 trillion to extend and expand these tax breaks? I thought I would be from raising taxes on people who make less than $350,000. Nope. That’s only going to give them a fraction of the $4 trillion. They’re going after Medicaid because they think they can get $2 trillion from there. This explains why they want us to think people on Medicaid are lazy and that they’re the enemy. This explains why they tried to freeze Medicaid portals, except that massively backfired on them, and they had to reopen them.
Department of Defense spending and tech companies (including AI) You know what government waste they won’t cut? Defense spending. Why? Because most tech companies whose products we use every day, and the billionaires who own them, make a massive amount of money from defense contracts. Defense contractors price gouge constantly. The Pentagon has yet to pass an audit. They want us to believe supporting Defense spending proves we’re patriots and love our country; if we question anything to do with the Defense spending, we’re not patriots. We’re the enemy. This is how they pit us against one another. Don’t fall for it.
Immigration, prisons, and the GOP They want us to think they’re focused on immigration and mass deportation for our safety. Nope. They know they can’t do mass deportations all at once so what will they do with the people they round up? Detain them. Where? Prisons (like the news about the 30,000 people they want to hold at Guantánamo.) Who makes money from prison construction and management? The private prison industry. Who owns the prison industry? Billionaires. Who finances a lot of Republican campaigns? The private prison industry.
What actions can we take? No action is too small. We are all grains of sand in these giant gears and if enough of us mobilize, we can at least slow them down. If a lot of us mobilize, we can stop them. When your mind says, “we can’t do anything”, STOP. Breathe. Do it anyway. When we are relentless, they will fatigue. Draw them out. Do not comply in advance.
File your Federal taxes directly FOR FREE For years AOC and many others have been fighting against the lobbyists at TurboTax, H&R Block, and others who make massive amounts of money off of people filing their taxes. IRS Free File could potentially cause those companies to lose a lot of money this year. That’s why this administration is trying to kill IRS Free File. This administration cares about making money for big businesses, not about protecting working class people. I’ve used a company to file for years. I’ll file my taxes for free this year with IRS Free File.
If you’re exhausted and have no time Look up your rights, whether you’re a U.S. citizen, green card holder, visa holder, or undocumented. You can also help your neighbors know their rights. AOC put a Know Your Rights flyer on her website in English, Spanish, Bangla, Mandarin, and Arabic.
If you have a little more energy Print out the Know Your Rights flyer. Take them around to your local shops, business, food carts, and libraries, and ask if you can put them up for people to read.
If you have a medium amount of energy Call your senators. No matter what party they’re in, tell them you want them to vote no on every single cabinet appointment. Even if your call just slows them down a fraction, it’s effective. No matter how they vote, your voice matters. Your anger matters, even if they make you think it doesn’t. Their skin is thin. And so is this administration’s. And so is this batch of billionaires’.
Call your House Reps. No matter how they vote, no matter what party they’re in, express your dismay. You might think it doesn’t matter, especially if they support this administration, but it matters. The tallies of who calls and what those callers say is reported to them every single day. Call them.
If you’re a federal worker Don’t take the buy-out. They’re counting on you giving up and walking away so they can do whatever they want. Make them make you leave. Don’t consent in advance.
If ICE comes to your home, workplace, school, house of worship, or community center You don’t have to open the door. They need a judicial warrant with a judge’s signature to enter. You can ask them to leave. You don’t have to give them any personal information. You don’t have to answer any of their questions. You don’t need to sign anything. You can ask for an attorney. California and New York provide attorneys for everyone, even those who are undocumented. Outside those states, you can ask to speak to an attorney. You can stay silent, even if you’re detained.
In summary Take a breath Focus Know your rights and help others know theirs Call your senators and House reps
In 2009, my New York City apartment building caught fire. I lost nearly everything I owned, and I almost got trapped in the building. I’ve written a lot about that incident, the terrifying PTSD that followed, and the therapist and friends who helped lead me out of the darkness I’d shoved down my entire life up to that point so I could fully step into the light for the first time. (You can read some of those pieces here and here.)
Watching the coverage of the LA fires and doing whatever I can to help people there wasn’t triggering for me. However, it did leave me with a profound sadness because I know first-hand how painful it is to lose everything and then face the difficulty of rebuilding my life and my mental health. It’s a long and winding road. Fire physically, chemically, and irreversibly alters everything it touches, us included.
When I’m sad, confused, or lost, I often turn to nature. As a biomimicry scientist, it’s become a habit for me to ask, “What would nature do?” Nature has faced fire for hundreds of megaannums; the first evidence of it appears in the fossil record about 420 million years ago, with charcoaled plant remains. (By comparison, the mass extinction of dinosaurs happened about 66 million years ago.) When destroyed by fire, how does nature rebuild? Time, variety, and assistance.
Rebuilding requires time The dramatic before and after photos of a fire may lead us to believe that the rebuilding begins as soon as the fire is snuffed out. However, without plants to anchor the soil, storms that follow wildfires can cause even more damage through massive flooding and erosion. The post-fire damage can continue for years.
After my fire, my PTSD caused years of difficulty, long after I had a new home and had replaced my belongings. This was also true when I finished active cancer treatment many years later. The effects of life-altering events cannot be immediately known. Healing isn’t linear and it often takes longer than we’d like. The impacts unfold at a pace that we don’t control. Give yourself the space and grace to take it all in, process it, and move forward on whatever timeline you need.
Rebuilding requires variety After a fire, nature re-establishes itself by re-anchoring the soil. Native plants that have that ability are the first to take root. That includes hardy varieties of grasses, trees, and shrubs that can survive through harsh conditions. Their ability to stabilize the landscape paves the way for an even greater variety of plants to return with time.
When we’re rebuilding, we can feel overwhelmed. We want everything to immediately go back to the way it was, and the fact that we know it can’t be that way can leave us feeling paralyzed. Focusing on one step at a time and prioritizing immediate steps that make other steps possible, can help.
When I moved into my new apartment after my fire, I had 2 plastic CVS bags of belongings and an air mattress I borrowed from a friend. The emptiness of that space gave me so much anxiety. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and asked myself, “What do I need right now?” I needed a toothbrush, a towel, and some soap. So, I went and got those three small things. That was the groundwork I needed on that first day, in that first moment. The rest could wait.
Rebuilding requires assistance While these native plants begin to grow, invasive species will often try to muscle their way into the space. Rewilders and forestry experts will often give nature a hand by removing invasive species, allowing native plants the time, space, and resources they need to grow and develop.
My PTSD was an invasive species. Anxiety, nightmares, and suicidal thoughts tried to set up shop in my mind and body. Sometimes they succeeded. One time I woke up sitting on the sidewalk crying. I had no idea how I got there, nor how long I’d been there. My PTSD was causing me to have blackouts.
I was afraid to be home, and I was afraid to not be home. Every siren was cause for internal alarm, and New York City has a lot of sirens.
Friends and my therapist offered to help, and though I tried to brush them off, some were persistent. They were my rewilders. They showed up against my objections and began to help me pull the weeds of PTSD from my mind and body. It wasn’t a pleasant experience for any of us, but it was necessary. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. The PTSD would have taken over, preventing my recovery.
When you go through something traumatic, ask for and accept help. When you see someone going through trauma, don’t wait to be asked to help. Show up and lend a hand. None of us get through recovery alone.
Encouragement for Angelenos Los Angeles, we’re with you. You’re not alone in any of this. This whole nation cares what happens to you, and we’ll continue to care and help you get back on your feet. The ground is already being seeded with love, donations, and generosity. The road to recovery will be long and difficult, and we’ll be there to build it with you. Nature has given us the blueprint.
The words “ecology” and “economy” originate from the same Greek word “oikos”, meaning “home”. Ecology and economy both involve studying and managing the environment in which we live — ecology being a nature-made home and economy being a human-made home.
With that shared history between “ecology” and “economy”, Dr. Kimmerer asks how we might model nature’s generosity to transform our human-made capitalist economy that works best for the wealthy into one that is healthy, high-functioning, and inclusive so that everyone thrives.
How might we move from a paradigm of haves and have-nots to everyone-has-enough? Can our capitalist economy transform into one rooted in generosity? What would that look like? How would it function?
Nature shows us that the key to generosity is trust. A serviceberry plant freely offers its delicious berries to animals knowing those animals will disperse its seeds. It’s part of their ecological agreement — an equal give and take that benefits everyone. This same type of equitable reciprocity exists throughout natural ecosystems, each member giving its resources and taking what it needs in return. Nature doesn’t hoard abundance, nature shares.
In this new year, already fraught with difficulties and loss on a massive scale, we can emulate the generosity of the serviceberry plant. We all have an abundance of something — talents, abilities, training and education, time, resources, kindness, love. We also all have needs. Somebody somewhere needs what we have, and somebody somewhere has what we need.
That matchmaking, that trust that if a call goes out it will be answered, is what’s helped nature flourish for millennia. We’re a part of nature, and it’s no different for us. Offer what you have to someone who needs it. Trust that when you ask for help in some form, someone who has an abundance of what you need will step forward. Nature shows us that navigating through difficulty is easier when we travel together.
If we can begin to bake nature’s example of trust and generosity into our own lives and extend it into our workplaces, schools, communities, and governments, we can start that shift that Dr. Kimmerer and ecological economists envision for us. Like the serviceberry plant, we’ll find generosity is a gift that returns to us season after season, creating the virtuous loop that is nature’s foundation and can be the bedrock of our future economy and society if we choose for it.
Christa Avampato 