Every person has innate gifts. By “gifts”, I am talking about that natural ability whose presence makes that person better and more alive than they are without it. Let’s take our little Livy for instance. Since the time she was 8 or 9 MONTHS old, she has been coloring. Every single day she draws with markers, crayons, paints, pens, whatever she can find. As a matter of fact just this morning I was frustrated at the time that I spent sitting down and painting a picture of a princess instead of doing the other million things I could be doing. But I did it with her. Why? Easy–because it’s a part of who she is. Her artistic abilities are one of her natural gifts and allowing her the space to use those gifts and see them flourish is what allows Livy to be a better, more alive person and I want to invest in that!!! Tracking with me so far??
On Friday, Damion and I were enjoying a drive down the beautiful Napa Valley after having just left the St Helena Farmer’s Market. I was reading Dario Sattui’s letter to the editor of the Napa Register regarding the destructive nature of the newly renewed WDO. I can’t help but agree with the points that he made and I was thinking to myself “Why does this trouble us so much?” I realized this one point….there are some people on the Napa County Board of Supervisors who are basically stealing Napa Valley’s gifts and essentially telling her that she can’t operate in them. You see, just like people, regions have natural giftings. One of Napa’s natural (some people would say redemptive) gifts is the gift of hospitality. The members of the board who approved the tighter regulations of the WDO are doing exactly that….not allowing Napa to operate in it’s natural gifts. Now, will Livy die if I take away her art supplies and ability to express herself through art? No. Nor do I believe that Napa Valley will completely perish. But, will Livy suffer if I take away that ability for her, because it is part of who she’s made to be? Yes. And as Livy would suffer by not allowing her to express herself through her natural gift, so will the Napa Valley. So, also will the people of Napa Valley. Not just the hospitality and service industry, but the wineries are doomed to suffer as well, especially the small, family run wineries who aren’t the huge marketing machines. I believe those wineries and the hospitality & service industry will have to find other ways of supporting themselves, and it will mostly be by working in other counties that will allow them to use their gifts. Make no mistake, if Napa Valley is not allowed to use her gifts, someone else will see abundance and flourishing of what could have benefited Napa Valley and her inhabitants.
So, what can we do to change this heart breaking situation? Easy—June 8th is your opportunity to change things. Two members of the Napa County Board of Supervisors who responsible for tightening up the restrictions in the WDO and causing this valley to suffer are up for re-election. Let’s replace them with two people who are FOR change in the Napa Valley. We cannot continue to operate in the same way we have for the last 20 years. The economy is changing and has changed and if we maintain this OLD mindset, we will not prosper. In District 1, the current Supervisor is up for re-election after 20 years of service. 20 years of the same mindset. PLEASE VOTE FOR DAN MONEZ IN DISTRICT 1 who is willing to support the wineries, the ag preserve, and the hospitality industry (what about that—all of them can co-exist???). I’m impressed that he has continued to support Napa economy throughout the election by purchasing his campaign materials locally, while his opponent has gone and spent invested his campaign money into SF and Marin regions for his campaign needs. In District 3, the current board member Diane Dillon is also another one who from the very beginning of the WDO amendment meetings was adamant about keeping the status quo with no consideration shown for the changes that may need to take place to see this valley succeed. PLEASE VOTE FOR MICHAEL C HALEY IN DISTRICT 3.
Please forward this blog post to anyone that you can…we have to get the word out. June 8th is THE DAY to affect and change our own future!!!!!!!!!!
PS: Just as I was finishing this up, a little 3 year old voice came in saying “CAN I Please GLUE????” Case in point.
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by Damion