My decision to birth my babies in my Springfield home years ago flowed naturally from the other practices that my husband and I had committed to in our lives. We grew a lot of our own food, we sawed and chopped wood to heat our home, we biked everywhere instead of depending on a car. As we did this, we also identified people around us with whom who we could barter or trade or collaborate. For example, a fisherman in our neighborhood who traded his freshly caught trout for organic vegetables from our garden. It’s not just about our individual self-sufficiency, but depending on each other, a community interdependence. We had an excitement and belief about providing for ourselves, and those around us, and only depending on institutions in cases of significant or specialized need.
In my Homebirth practice now, I see similar patterns emerge. When a family feels the empowerment of birthing at home naturally, they start to make other decisions that are autonomous and independent. For example, they might homeschool, start a garden, or seek out traditional forms of healing, like making their own medicines from herbs, rather than depending on the institutions that provide these products or services. As they do this, they seek out others to collaborate with. When you start to do things on your own and in a community, it feels so good! You realize how many different approaches and creative paths there are to a healthy and fulfilling life. You are an active agent, not a passive recipient!
This self-sufficiency need not be only in for practical things. It can reach into the realms of fun and joy and entertainment. Thanks to the Stone Soul festival, the Roots and Jazz festival, the Artist Cafe, and other opportunities in our small city, we’ve been able to raise our children seeing and enjoying music. But most important was just teaching them how to play their own music and having them collaborate with other musicians to work on their skills.
As a way to encourage our community’s musical self-sufficiency, three years ago, my husband and I started to welcome and fund local bands to play in our backyard throughout the summer, featuring different styles of music, and inviting everyone we know to come. In these events, we are exploring another way to provide for our own needs as a community. We celebrate and affirm our local musicians and CHOOSE them over Spotify (even if only for an evening!).
Here’s the summer schedule! These concerts are outdoors and free (tip jar for the musicians is put out!). Bring a lawn chair if you have one. Take a chance! Join us! ■