Ever since the unimaginable swept through our mountains nearly a year ago, claiming lives, destroying structures and changing landscapes, rooting itself in our memories forevermore, one theme comes calling again and again, in every issue, from every other person we talk to for stories: community.
Gina Malone, Editor
The great Wendell Berry defines community as “the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define and limit the possibilities of each other’s lives.” There may not be an overarching sense of community in our country at this time or in the world at large, but here in Western North Carolina the sense of togetherness remains.
Our Spotlight On feature highlights Blueprint for Impact, a woman-led nonprofit that rose out of the destruction Hurricane Helene left behind. Its mission is to build resilience by bringing people together in the community of shared experience, recognizing those who are “examples of what we want to see more of in the world,” says its co-founder Keresey Pearl.
I think that those who explore, promote and share their arts are always shining examples of community-builders. In The Ties That Bind, the artists of American Folk Art & Framing show off work that touches on the many aspects of connectedness we all felt in the days after the storm. In the RAD community, good things are ongoing, including on Depot and Foundy streets.
Encouragement keeps all of us walking confidently into the future. Asheville’s Kristi Knupp, who makes music as Pretty Little Saturday, hopes that her new album inspires others “to follow their creative urges, honor their own voice and lean into the unknown with courage and curiosity.” And David Gate’s A Rebellion of Care: Poems and Essays embraces the idea of caring for ourselves and others through creating.
Considering poetry reminds me of Kahlil Gibran’s beautifully expressed, “Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky.” In The Wild Truth, Paula Musto looks into the many trees felled by the storm and the good that may come of their demise. And our Conservation feature by Asheville GreenWorks’ Megan Ward focuses on resiliency efforts by the organization, including handing out thousands of saplings, beautiful examples of hope—and poems for future generations.
Gina Malone can be reached at gina@thelaurelofasheville.com
