My life seems to follow a pattern that I would like to change!
This is how it goes…. I have an idea, get it going, make a success of it and someone comes along and tries (successfully usually) to take it over and kick me out.
These people have the gift of the gab and the time to weave their evil in other people’s ears, seeming to want to turn my success into theirs.
I will not fight with them. I can see exactly what they are doing but am powerless to stop them.
Since I have come here it has happened twice; first with my Wednesday gardening group and now with the Cygnet library garden. Both these small enterprises were meant to be for my relaxation and hence were meant to be small. They were small gestures to demonstrate to the community that anyone could have a beautiful, edible space to garden in, in a relaxed way.
In both cases people with grander ideas spent many months expanding their vision until they make a bid to take over, with endless criticisms of my small, peaceful, relaxing approach. Holding on to the small and easy to manage has been like trying to hold back a tsunami, so, in both cases, I withdrew, leaving them to their inevitable collapses.
It has always been the same, all my life. I would very much like to change it so that I can quietly and peacefully potter about doing something for the good of the community without some puffed up, deranged chook trying to make themselves top of a pecking order where once there was none!
Life is good. Small is good.
5 comments:
Well Kate your not alone. I'm sure it happens to a lot of us who do things we enjoy in a way that it fits nicely in our lifestyle.Others on the other hand enjoy the buzz of power, the bigger the better regardless of the cause, after a while after they are off to feed on a new power.Over the years I've seen it happen over and over.but I have to say the Adelaide hill biodynamic group is an example of small and good quality goals has worked for nearly 30 years.It has stayed as a group of like minded folk which out any red tape or rules or funding which is what power feeds on.
Oh Kate I feel your pain, I have had the same thing happen to me numerous times. also once someone else takes over and does it all bigger and better they dont want all the work and maintenance that goes with it and so the the entire concept collapses. I hope your little cooking group in your home is going well. I believe you were also starting a bit of a b&b. Hang in there, you are an inspiration to many, me especiallly
Deb and Jillian, thank you very much for your support. Apart from deranged chooks with pecking order syndrome, everything here is wonderful.
My little business The Garden Shed and Pantry is small, manageable and entirely mine. Check out my website.
I run very successful sourdough workshops which are small, foolproof and easy for everyone. I do all kinds of other lovely things too.
The Cygnet Community Garden is very relaxed, with no deranged chooks so far!
Please do come and see me sometime soon!!
Ah yes, power and control are ugly monsters. I'm fighting them in the workplace at the moment, again, and dreaming of the day when I can just hang out in my garden at Woodbridge with the dogs, cat and chooks, and live a quiet, simplified life that embraces slow, small, quiet ways, and doesn't involve crazy people quite so much. You are not alone Kate. Don't let the turkeys, or deranged chooks, get you down.
Oh Martine, how lovely. I do feel quite liberated by these comments! Good luck to you too.
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