“The storytellers begin by calling upon those who came before who passed the stories down to us, for we are only messengers.”
To remember, we must start from the beginning for the beginning of any story is where the heart begins. It is with the heart that we may remember that we belong to this earth and to one another.
My story begins on a warm December day. It was not unlike other Florida days, but for my parents I am sure the sun shined a little brighter that day. I did not grow up in Florida, but upon my return 6 years ago I felt like I finally came home as it was the first time I felt the need to plant some roots. I did so by exploring where I lived. I wanted to know every nook and cranny of Palm Beach County and the surrounding areas – the animals, the plants, the stone, the history. I have made progress, but the more I learned the more I felt starved for more for each thing I learned about had its own origin story to tell.
The Atala Butterfly, once numerous, were nearly snuffed out by the removal of the coontie plant as it is not considered a particularly beautiful plant. Numbers are replenishing as the coontie is being replanted and identified as an ecologically important species.
Photo credit: zoilamartin.com
The Lake Worth Lagoon, once a fresh body of water now turned coastal estuary, has attracted the American Oystercatcher, a threatened species that found a new home among the man-made islands being built in the lagoon to counteract what is known as legacy pollution.
Photo credit: SimonSkafar via iStock
The Everglades, a unique and precariously balanced ecosystem once expanded nearly the width and length of Florida. It has now dwindled down to the most southern counties of the state leaving a wake of habitat loss not to mention our most natural water management system. Efforts are being made to restore the Everglades, but misunderstanding and continued development continues to threaten the lives of the animals, plants, and humans that make Florida their home.
These are just a few of the stories Florida must tell and each of their stories contributes to the tapestry that is Florida. They are the stories that make up our past, contribute to our present, and influence our future. It is imperative to learn these stories to build a relationship with where we live so we understand our role in the greater ecosystem, so we grow in compassion, and in heart – so that we may remember.
The Lake Worth Waterkeeper LaGoonies program has been created to provide people in our community the opportunity to learn these stories. It is why we often visit the same places and explore the same histories of both flora and fauna. And so, it is why we are making this year of LaGoonies programming the ‘Year of the Origin Story’.
Join us, both young and ‘young at heart’, to share in the stories of where we live and contribute to those stories with your personal reflections and experiences. Help us all remember our interconnectedness and belonging.