Happy Birthday, West Virginia.

Happy Birthday, West Virginia!

Mountain Mama. Almost Heaven. Mountaineer.

In these times of anxiety and fear for our country and world, we believe deeply that the beacon will shine from you.

Your hills graced with beautiful trees, animals, and are made of stardust and the materials of our universe. Your ground covered by the nature’s grasses and mosses. Glistening morning dew yeilds to bright sunlight days of summer and colorful leaves of fall.

Your people have lived from, and with, the land. Their resilience comes by honestly through the connection of the earth and with their hands - mining coal, planting gardens and harvesting crops.

Let’s look at the future from the perspective of celebrating your birthday today.

There is too much disease in your state, country and world right now.

Let’s say that differently - there is too much dis-ease.

Fear. Scarcity. Isolation. Fragmentation.

Your people need the healing of your beauty.

Nature houses sacred geometry. In trees. In leaves. In seashells.

Nature houses the raw materials of which we are made - clay, water, minerals, and light.

What is our defining purpose?

It is getting back to our roots of the West Virginian and the American dream.

It is to be part of a strong community. The New York Times editorial writer Tom Friedman wrote, the differences in outcome of people in our country are not the rich versus the poor, the coasts versus the middle of the country, but instead, the weak communities versus the strong community.

It is to be healthy. We know that in addition to a sense of purpose, that feeling more love, safety, gratitude and flowing with your life improves your health. We also know that eating better food, exercising more frequently and receiving the gift of education is critical.

It is to be educated. Education expands the borders that we put on ourselves and open us up to new possibilities and ideas. Our people deserve this gift, not to just do better on standardized tests, but to make the world smaller and bring our citizens to feeling more connected with the world’s literature, ideas, wisdom, and stories that have guided our leaders for decades and centuries.

It is to find work. A job is the life purpose for many. The American dream is that your children do better than you did. Maybe our children will understand that working for a greater reason is important - working at an avocation, not just a job.

Lastly, it is to find harmony.

Health, heal, and holy comes from the same root world (-has) which meaning whole. We need to feel whole and complete. In harmony with nature and with each other. As we move this direction, we move from dis-ease to wholeness and health.

Let’s work on these presents for your next birthday!

Almost heaven.