Self-Reliance

“It is only a matter of time before we become the establishment that we once felt so free to criticize.” Girls in the Years of Living Dangerously

“Every day we make a choice and in that moment we decide which voice to listen to: insecurity, self-loathing, fear, reason, all of whom would be nothing without the energy we give them. And the voice that was once small grows into a crescendo, drowning out all other sounds. But despite the deafening noise, sleep restores balance and with every new day, we can choose again.” Juliana Lazzaro: Art in Motion Part II

“Striking out on one’s own means additional responsibility but is more rewarding than making sacrifices for someone else’s bottom line. The reality is that gender aside, we all have to be our own champions and being a business owner is the first step towards taking control of one’s livelihood.” Beacon’s Return Part II: Siren’s Calling

“[Juliana’s] fortitude and purist sensibility is a family trait.  It took her father, Frank, and her brothers twelve years to handcraft a log cabin utilizing the Scandinavian full scribe technique.  Using milled logs would have been much easier, but the irregularities in the logs brought about an aesthetic perfection that could not otherwise been realized.  This is the stock from which Juliana was made.” Juliana Lazzaro: Art in Motion Part II

“After speaking with the Bensons, I have a more complete understanding as to why certain practices are now commonplace. Before the Industrial Revolution, families would survive the cold winter months in a variety of ways: owning livestock, canning vegetables, preserving fruit, storing foods that “keep” longer, such as squash, potatoes, and grains, and the curing/smoking of meat. These activities require more discipline and planning but the average person was naturally attuned to the earth in a way that we have since lost… Our whole way of life, and the story that goes along with it, is based on the assumption that oil is abundant. Our dependence on fossil fuel makes us far more vulnerable than anyone would like to admit. A world without it would be unfathomable. It would recast the dye on what is most essential, and small farms would be prized above all else.”  Matthew Benson: The Seductive Farmer