An Alternative Lifestyle: Building Relationships, Finding One's self, and Taking a Break

The excitement began to build. Our professor kept a tight lip about the farm, and the mystery of not knowing what the farm had planned for us students allowed my imagination to run wild. I didn't know what to expect when I arrived at the Catholic Worker farm. When my class arrived at the site, Tom Spiritbringer was there to greet us. Tom Spiritbringer. Spiritbringer. The nuts and bolts in my head began to turn, trying to wrap around the idea of changing one's identity. I admired Tom for changing his last name (I know, a not-so-typical last name) to signal that working at this farm was a new chapter in his life. This was strange to me, because it was new to me. Tom introduced us to the land in which we resided for three days. It was big: 80 acres. Looking around the farm, I noticed it needed some work, and I was glad that our class was able to help till the land (even though we worked about an hour). Marcus Pegasus+five-other-names and Chelsea arrived later. I could deal with a name like Spiritbringer, Pegasus was a different story. I began to question the excitement I felt earlier about coming to this place. Ye of little faith I was. After getting to know all three of these interesting Catholic workers, nothing seemed strange to me, and soon I began to admire them.

Tom, Marcus, and Chelsea have committed themselves to an alternative lifestyle. They try to live completely off the land. Their electricity is solar powered. The farm doubles as a retreat for those infected with HIV.  There is no judgment, only encouragement. The farm stands for more than growing food; it is a place that provides comfort and support. What these three people (and those before them) do at this farm is extraordinary.

Songs. Tom's beautiful singing voice filled the air and the land. He was in touch with his inner nature. I wore blinders in the beginning while being at the farm. I viewed the songs Tom sang as strange and kooky. But after singing before meals, singing after reading excerpts, singing just sing, it became natural and my earlier view disintegrated. The singing brought our class closer to one another. Being at this farm allowed us classmates a chance to grow and learn new things about one another. There was so much laughter and happiness inside the house we stayed in, how can one ever forget such fun? The city could not offer what the farm offered. The night time was filled with stars galore and a rising moon that could be spotted behind the trees. It was very surreal.

Coming to this farm has opened my eyes to different way of living. While I might not pursue such an intense lifestyle, I am aware of it, and I understand what it represents.