A True History of The Garden of Eden, Part 20

saramiller (73)in #life • 5 years ago (edited)

I am one of thousands of people affected by @quinneaker's visionary community the @gardenofeden. As we clean and organize in preparation for a big move towards Eden 2.0, it's time to let go of my own incredible history here:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 20 👇🏽

Midway through my second year at the @gardenofeden, I was settling into a new role - finally focused on adding value rather than consuming time and energy, grateful to be of service to something bigger than my selfish little self.

"All people are selfish," Quinn reminded me so many times. The real trick is to find a way where one's selfishness aligns with the greater good.

I still had blinders on to almost everything going on outside of my little bubble, but at least I had found a way to do what I liked, was good at, wanted to do all day, AND that contributed to the bigger picture. ^{And by "I found a way...", what I really mean is that Quinn saw my skills and interests and offered an outlet for putting them to good use - I sure as shit wasn't building a better world on my own.}

I did like to expand people's options for real health care and to provide alternatives to the Western medical system, so with Quinn's focus, direction, and mentorship, I researched and wrote about and made our health supplements line available to more people than ever. We went to lots of health fairs, music festivals, and art markets to showcase our wares and share education. I learned how to make websites and ran the backend of the online shop too.

I aimed to get our sustainable, handmade, and artisan goods as well as tools for enhancing health and wellness from the @gardenofeden's Epic Threads Boutique into the hands of people who could love and use them, and Quinn worked his magic to pay the proceeds forward to supporting more people than ever.

Our costs were insanely low; at that time, we were thriving for less than $1 a day per person. All basic needs from food to water to shelter (and many luxuries too, like wifi and massage) for every volunteer living at The Garden of Eden was provided for less than the cost of existence in a third world country.

And not only were our own costs remarkably low, but Quinn provided humanitarian outreach with the excess generated from all his operations.

^{Did you know it's illegal to feed homeless people in DFW? When an act of compassion becomes one of civil disobedience, the Eden Knights will be there! "It is our right, honor, duty, and privilege to provide for our brothers and sisters," @quinneaker.}

The @gardenofeden fed tens of thousands of free meals each year. We saved literally hundreds of thousands of pounds of trash from the landfill, giving new life to perfectly good but forsaken resources. We took so much "waste" out of the trash cycle - burning it for fuel and heat, building with it, etc - that we enjoyed a negative carbon footprint. We educated tens of thousands of people through digital outlets, sharing sustainable inspiration for living one's most awesome life possible. Quinn took in people with nowhere to go, and gave them clothes, healthcare, food, and support.

And we did it all with no corporate sponsorship, no private benefactors, and no government subsidies. All resources were generated from our own labors, and I was honored to contribute my manpower towards such a noble vision.

I got comfy (and TBH a little complacent) in my new "office job", but I sure nerded out on building the new economy.

And then, MTV heard about us and came over to play.