There once was a family who found themselves in a frightening food desert in a bountiful land surrounded by beautiful lakes. Their favorite things to do were swim, play, dance, and east. Their favorite food was apples and they called themselves Lake Drum. The stolen land that the Lake Drum family found themselves in was a magical forest, dotted with thousands of tall, ancient, and forgotten apple trees. The young family had no idea what variety they were or how the trees got there, but they were hungry and didn't think it mattered too much.
Sadly, even though the family grew up climbing apple trees, they were older now and more afraid. They couldn't remember how to climb and feared they would fall. So instead of reaching towards the sky, they stayed on the ground. Eating only the overripe apples which could be picked up when they fell to the earth. As they shared and enjoyed their over ripened fruit they noticed it was changing, buzzing like the bees they tried hard not to get stung by in the orchard. This buzz sometimes helped them feel less afraid. So, the family decided to share their buzz, fallen apples, and let's be honest SPIRIT with their community and the community shared back. As the family grew, they gained skills, new tools, and even more apple trees. They no longer only had to eat the fallen apples as they discovered new ways to climb, different types of ladders, and younger family members who weren't so afraid to climb. Each year they reached higher and higher leaning into the land and people who were hungry for change. Together they build a home, a safe place from the scary hardship, pain, and loss outside. As lucky as the family was, they knew there were many other families picking fruit and homeless and as bountiful as a harvest was sometimes, the family remembered that there would also be years of scarcity. So going forward, remember to give people a hand who aren't tall enough to reach things themselves, especially if you're lucky enough to have a ladder.
