“If we were logical, the future would be bleak indeed. But we are more than logical. We are human beings, and we have faith, and we have hope, and we can work.” — Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jacques-Yves Cousteau and I find it only fitting that we take a moment in the middle of this project to reflect on the man that forever changed the way we look at our underwater world. I was brought up in a family that loved the ocean. The house was full of underwater books. Summers spent at the beach. And listening to stories of my parents scuba diving in the seventies.

I spent my early twenties learning how to scuba dive myself and then spending time in some of the most beautiful places on the planet enjoying the silence and beauty of the deep. There is an eerie silence when you scuba dive like nothing else. It’s just you and your environment. No outside noises, just your regulator. Simply time to enjoy the beauty on our planet.

I read a couple of articles here and here today that really made me think about Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s life. And I began to reflect on our footprint on this planet. What we take from it and what we can leave behind. I’ve said it a hundred times and you’ll continue to hear it from me… I feel so fortunate to be a part of this Craft Hope community. A group of people who continually think outside of themselves, look at the world, and try to find ways to help.

Sometimes I come across a blog post that describes so perfectly what we try to do here at Craft Hope that it literally takes my breath away. Jessica gave me one of these moments this week with her words…

“What I love about Craft Hope is the acknowledgment that there are many sides to healing. As artists and as citizens, we need opportunities to create solutions, not just support them. Taking the time to cut and hem rags from old sheets, or crochet hand towels, makes us feel connected to the problem and to each other. Even more, it empowers us to use our collective talents to engage in new situations we might not otherwise take responsibility for.”

Thank you Jessica for those powerful words. That’s EXACTLY what we are working towards.