When there’s nowhere else to run
Is there room for one more son
One more son
If you can, hold on
If you can, hold on
Hold on…
SLOW.
The word boldly displayed on her stainless steel thermos. Ironically, it didn’t take her long to tell me why she advocated for this lifestyle. The hustle and bustle of the city didn’t seem to make her spark the way talking about rural towns and self-sufficiency did. I knew she was in the right place and fighting for a good cause.
Tashi Green was a CivicSpark fellow who I met at Sierra Business Council on October 17, 2016. She sported a few new dreads in the making, the coolest sneakers and a rugged down jacket. This girl lived for the great outdoors and nothing could keep her inside for too long. She talked about her climbing adventures and hiking the PCT. She was always willing to loan out a pair of climbing shoes (and had them in various sizes so anyone could join – no excuses!). She impressed us with her telling of building an off-the-grid house using sustainable materials. She didn’t believe in waste, and often brought her own lunch insisting on eating it even when lunch was provided. She was fiercely independent, but had a soft heart for the people, places and animals she loved. She was wise beyond her years and filled with facts and knowledge about Tahoe and nature. She was my friend and she loved this land.
As coworkers sometimes do, we connected over our work and experiences with CivicSpark, Sierra Business Council and the Sierra Nevada Energy Watch program. We commiserated when the going got tough, and banded together to find solutions to the problems. She often turned inside to find the answers, but shone like a light when she was satisfied with what she found.
It’s still fresh in my mind, more than a bit surreal that she’s gone. Every thought, every memory, every conversation more vivid and detailed than when they were made. I want the healing process to speed up, but it doesn’t seem to be on any timeline I can understand. Somehow, through time and space, she reminds me to take it slow.
It takes time to heal. It takes time to build up strength, courage and confidence to move forward. Some of us learned that after the election. Some of us continue to learn that in whatever line of work we’re in. Community and camaraderie has made it more than just bearable, it has allowed us to come together and grieve; breathe, and help lift one another up.
While we’re here on this planet, take the time to know your neighbors, coworkers, family and friends. Be a shoulder they can cry on, a person they can rely on, someone to fill their cup with sugar (or coffee, or tea) and their world with laughter and support.
We miss you, Tashi. Thank you for sharing with us your world.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, please utilize the resources at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.
