LETTER: Come here to live, and to give

Posted

The July 12 article on the pending rebirth of the Ajax Cafe is heartening not only for its win-win-win outlook, but also for the positive emphasis on community – people pitching in to work together.

Recently, I was doing some manual weeding maintenance on a city nonmotorized trail which passes near my door – the kind of thing that a neighbor will do, as the trail system is partly user-maintained and -supported.

Along came a couple who mentioned being very new to Port Townsend and living close by, on the opposite side of the trail from me. They complimented my work, saying, “We would help, but we have to weed our own place first.” And walked on.

Experience teaches that two, or more, people working together can accomplish more than that number of individuals, separately. It’s also more sociable, enjoyable, and creates instant community.

No point waiting for the improbable occasion when a city-employed crew comes to do that work; it’s not in the budget.

I regret that my new neighbor didn’t seize the opportunity to become my coworker.

We could have forged a little community on the common ground between us.

My question, then, for the many newcomers arriving now and those who aspire to live in our town and county: Are you just wanting to vicariously partake of the quality of community that others have created these many decades, or are you coming to fully take part and add quality, both for your own brief years here and for the benefit of those who will come after?

Is it about “me” or “we”? Coming here to not only live, but to give?

See you on the trails.

FOREST SHOMER

Port Townsend