Leaving La Fruta

la comunidad

The transformation of La Fruta from a Finca of a few guys living in the bush to a full-on community has been incredibly fast.  There are now several couples and a solid group of people living there, working the fields which are producing vegetables, sharing together, and cultivating their souls via spiritual work. Claire and I can’t help but feel proud that we were a (small) part of it.  That we had the audacity, flexibility, and motivation (stubbornness?) to stay when others left.  To bare the raw, abrupt, yet incredibly beautiful waves of emotion, energy, and momentum pulsating through the Sierra Nevada.  These challenges taught us so much practically, intellectually, and spiritually, and it is an honor to feel that we also gave all we had to La Fruta and its people. Nevertheless, after intending to stay (in varying degrees) for one night? less than a month? after 3 months we felt that it was time to move on.

we harvested the first batch of veggies from la "huerta" just in time to enjoy them with the family for our last lunch.

The last few days were incredibly intense, due in part to the work which presented itself (hauling 1000 yard hoses, 4” in diameter up steep mountain slopes), and in part because of the interaction with Santiago.  In the end, Claire remained with her unconditional love for our family at La Fruta, especially Santiago, and she left like the falling sun, her beautiful energy fading from bright yellow rays to the florescent brilliance of orange and finishing with the pink hues that soften the memory and make absorbing the experience easier to handle.

My exit was much more tumultuous.  I suppose I had much more to learn.  In the end, I learned some huge lessons from Santiago about leadership, spirituality, and releasing my ego.  I was able to release some tensions that I held about our relationship, be open and honest with him about our past, and learn that my focus on his behavior had distracted me from controlling and focusing on my own path.  It is unfortunate that it took until the last days to learn these lessons, as there was much more I could have learned if I was open to receiving it, but every lesson comes at its time.

We spent the last night around the Sacred fire circle, where we offered payments to the spirits of the Sierra Nevada, played music, and connected with one another.  Two relatively reserved people at the Finca – Javier and Marley – opened up to rap, sing, and share their talents and part of themselves with the group.  These special moments were a fitting end, coming full-circle, with Claire and I sitting in our ‘seats’ at the circle – huge rocks we hauled ourselves from the river after searching for hours for the right boulder to ‘call’ to us.  We were the most ‘veteran’ people remaining at the circle, feeling at home in the place that we were about to leave, where we had invested so much of ourselves. Yet we were sharing with those who would carry on the love and energy of La Fruta, and we were honored to know things would continue with such wonderful people.

todo es arte at la fruta. life is art.

 with our survivor-story vegetarian-inducing chicken Rudy in the background

When we left, saying goodbye to Yerit and Santiago was the hardest.  Almost in tears, we embraced, with thanks beyond words.  Santiago offered both Claire and I sacred stones of protection, blessed by both he and the Mamo.  We left with promises to return, and in that moment it became clear that these promises were sincere.  We left La Fruta a different place than we found it, and it will always be a part of us.  We will return, to find our friends, and seek some of the ever-elusive peace and tranquility that unite us – both with ourselves and one another. We walked down the hill with Claire in tears, walking away from our new home and new friends to face new challenges and learn new lessons, carving more of our path through this beautiful world.