 Welcome to the start of an inspirational movement for Ashland and beyond!
All About Ashland was created because I wanted to do something to create positive change for a number of reasons. I have been here for almost 7 years and, in that short time, there has been an immense amount of change. Although expansion and growth can be very exciting and offer additional opportunities for the community, there is a risk of the personal element diminishing. One of the goals of this project is to keep the heart of Ashland thriving. Ashland is famous for its amazing food, theater, hiking, and more. However, it's the underlying quality that draws people here. There is a spirit and an energy that is created by more than the amenities. I don't want that special quality to get lost, because, well...then...it would not be Ashland.
Another reason I created this project is to counter the negative effects of mass media. Lets face it, things aren't so great globally lately. A lot of people look toward the future with much uncertainty ... including kids and young adults. How sad is that! They should be embracing this amazing time in their lives rather than worrying about whether there will be a planet left for them to reside on when they are older. They are affected by what they hear is happening in the world, which, unfortunately, is not very uplifting.
There are in fact negative things going on, but there are also a lot of positive things happening. We just don't hear about them...certainly not from most media sources! Turn on the news and you will be inundated with negativity and violence. The sensationalism, and our fascination with it, is largely responsible for creating such discouragement. How can we possibly feel good about what’s going on in the world if all we hear about are negative things? Violence is a reality, but so is beauty. So how does All About Ashland fit into all this? Well, we can't change the world overnight. However, we CAN do things locally to get the ball rolling! In fact, people are already doing things to inspire and help others, and that is a large focus of “All About Ashland.” This project is a baby step toward creating a phenomenon of greater change. By providing free and easy access to positive, creative, thought provoking, and inspiring information about what's going on in people's lives and in the community, people will be energized and motivated to contribute to Ashland and beyond!
Another element that inspired the creation of this project is that I wanted to give something to Ashland because it has given so much to me. I would like to share my story of how I found Ashland and how this little town changed my life and outlook.
I was undoubtedly led here not unlike countless others that I have talked with. This little town has some amazing powers, which would have to be so in order to have drawn me from the place I was in physically, mentally and spiritually.
My journey started after losing my husband in a tragic accident in 1998 in Chicago. My life as I knew it felt over. I could not operate in the chaotic craze of the city in a state of grief. Now, don't get me wrong, Chicago is an amazing city and I had many good times there. However, it is a huge city filled with a lot of pissed-off people in a hurry…to go where, I do not know. Things are moving fast and people are incredibly disconnected from one another. I became part of that disconnected flow and got used to not looking others in the eye and to being treated coldly by others. A kill-or-be-killed sort of thing I suppose. I operated in that chaotic energy all my life and even thrived on it for a long time. However, I did not realize how much it had affected me…not until Eric died. Immediately after he died, I could not stand the energy around me for another second. I packed my four cats and two dogs in a truck and headed west. Off I went in search of a unique, smaller community (with less energy than Chicago) where I could start a new life, be creative, and heal my wounds. I thought for sure I would find this perfect community I had in mind in California, because I had always heard about how evolved it was and how much beauty it had to offer. One of my criteria was that the climate needed to be a few (or 50) degrees warmer than Chicago as well! So I started in Sacramento because I could not afford San Francisco and I started searching for the small place I had envisioned. I must have checked out 20 or more communities and none felt right. Now, mind you, I was led, so it's possible none were supposed to feel right because I was supposed to end up here. However, the majority of the places I looked at were in or around the bay area and it still felt too big. So one thing led to another (namely my lease was up in Sacramento) and somehow I ended up in Redding. Don't ask! Anyway, I was impressed with all the natural beauty up there in those parts…but it was a far cry from what I envisioned. I ended up there because I would study the atlas and my eye kept drawing me north. So there I was in Redding, grieving the loss of my husband, feeling hopeless and exhausted from my year searching for the dream small community. So what do I do? I joined a grief support group. There I met a woman who was the facilitator for the group who frequented Ashland and told me that I would love it here. In fact, I had heard of Ashland from residents in Redding who would say, “You're not from around here are you?” Then they would suggest I check out Ashland as though it was where I would find my kinfolk. I guess my lack of western attire and choice of personal adornments gave them the hint that I was not a local! Long story short, after 6 months in Redding, the woman from the grief group wanted to take me to Ashland. She went to the Shakespeare Festival often and thought I would enjoy it here. We were here for 5 minutes and that was it! The energy I felt here was unlike the energy I felt anywhere else in all my travels. It was indescribable. It felt safe, comforting, alive and artistic. I found a rental in 2 days and moved here immediately.
Since then everything I have needed has been provided and then some. I have experienced an immense amount of healing. I found a lovely home and even picked up a husband at Evo’s coffee shop!
I continue to experience how truly unique this town is and why it “felt’ different to all those other places I explored. It’s the energy. It’s the people. There is a cumulative spirit here that almost feels sacred. The people are different because they are affected by their surroundings. They are happy and open. There is a lot of hugging going on at the grocery stores and you know what...it is really nice! There are a multitude of creative things happening as well, and there are healers galore. All these fabulous things collectively make Ashland special.
So you can see, Ashland has done so much for me and now I want to give something back. I don't want the unique spirit to get lost in the shuffle of growth and change and I believe strongly that this project will help keep the heart of Ashland alive amidst any and all changes. We need to stay connected and foster the goodness of what has been here for so long.
Explore this medium dedicated to the spirit of Ashland and experience what makes Ashland special…anytime!
Mary Gabriel
Producer and Creator of All About Ashland, LLC
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