Start Somewhere

I loved Tu B’Shvat the first time I learned about it. The Jewish version of ‘Earth Day’ resonated perfectly with identities that I could already claim. Pegrebin describes the holiday as one“for skeptics and mystics alike”. I smiled reading, because the opening for her chapter on Tu B’shvat reads like the Zoetic Press definition for speculative fiction.

I applied to be on the Zoetic Press social media team because I believed it was a connection to the publishing world, a seed, a solution, another step, despite not knowing exactly in what direction. Before applying, I paid no real attention to what types of writing Zoetic Press published. I simply wanted to sit in the space with them. During the past six months, I learned Zoetic Press historically rooted its literary journal issues in previously published works, except for a short hiatus. At the end of last year, the entire Editorial Team considered the kind of writing that could herald their return to a central text instead of the brief interlude spent dedicated to themes.

The editors discussed various examples of science fiction and fantasy. We lamented the dystopia common in too many. Then, we asked, ‘what if the ending was happy?’ Like the Tu B’shvat seder which serves fruits and nuts, solar punk requires no death. The Tu B’Shvat version of sci fi/fantasy is solar punk.

Since I was not an Editor, I was not required to read A Psalm for the Wild-Built . Whether out of guilt or serendipity, this time I accepted the invitation. More often than not I read to see if the story is ‘right’ for someone else or if it could show me a next step in my own author journey. The the book was the 'seed' not the story. In her chapter, Pegrebin revisits the concept of ‘purpose’ or kavanah. The text in and of itself is a kavanah –What you do is different from a purpose for being. If I understood that, would I still ask so many questions?

Balance? “. . . humans had a knack for throwing things out of balance. Finding a limit they’d stick to was victory enough.” (13)

Action? “In those hours, they frequently asked themself what it was they were doing. They never truly felt like they got a handle on that. They kept doing it all the same.” (18)

Reason? “Better to cut one path through a place than damage the whole thing.” (69)

Instinct? “The ecosystem required the elk to be afraid in order to be in balance. But elk don’t want to be afraid. Fear is miserable, as is pain. As is hunger. Every animal is hardwired to do absolutely anything to stop those feelings as fast as possible.” (77)

Acceptance? “Everything else breaks down and is made into other things.” (75)

Gratitude? The beauty of dying things. “I think there’s something beautiful about being lucky enough to witness a thing on its way out.” (80)

Animals carry seeds. They help them find new soil and provide fertilization to take root. Humans are animals that not only carry seeds. We plant seeds on purpose. And writers? We are an even smaller ‘subset’. I was so often focused on planting seeds on purpose that was surprised by the seeds that I hadn’t realized were along for the ride. Even this holiday dedicated to planting trees used texts to remind us that even grass has a story.

Tu B’Shvat is one of four Jewish New Years (Elul, Rosh Hashanah and Passover are the other three). Each was a chance to start over again. Each provided a choice, give up or push through. From paying taxes to planting trees, what if when given the choice, we had done all the right things? What if it was a matter of doing a thing, not the thing?

Wait. Watch.

Stillness could be movement.

Even when my limbs were frozen, sap was moving.

A story, a solution, a spring had start(ed) somewhere.