Connections
“We are
here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness.”
Thich Nhat
Hanh
There was a segment on
the PBS news last night about two young men, Sam Polk and David
Foster, who climbed to the top of the Wall Street ladder. By the age
of thirty, they were millionaires and well on their way to becoming
billionaires. What they found at the top was a distinct feeling of
emptiness; the sense that their achievement had gained them only
wealth. They realized that wasn't enough. They wanted to do something
more with their lives, so they decided on a project to get good
affordable food into neighborhoods considered “food deserts.”
They moved out to Los Angeles, and began a company called Everytable.
They used their Wall Street connections to recruit both money and
chefs to prepare food that is nutritious, delicious and affordable.
In poor neighborhoods, it costs less than fast-food, and in up-scale
neighborhoods, it costs a little more, but not significantly more,
and all that is left over at the end of the day goes to homeless
shelters. They also founded Groceryships, that brings affordable
produce to inner-city neighborhoods, and offers six-month
scholarships to teach people how to cook that food and in the
process, connect with their neighbors.
Polk and Foster woke up to the the fact that they could make all the money in the world, but it
would not satisfy their souls. Where they've found that satisfaction
is in doing something that connects their skills and talents with
the needs of the others. Their new endeavor uses their privilege,
their influence, and their business experience to bring something
good to people who might otherwise not have it. They have awoken to
the understanding that we are not separate, and that we fulfill our life's purpose by being in relationship with others and the earth.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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