Groundwaters

A Goodbye Letter from Judy

June 15, 2008 on 5:45 pm | In Judy's Goodbye Letter | No Comments

The Heart of the Matter
from Judy Hays-Eberts

Part 1

I apologize for not keeping in touch. I’ve been like that with nearly everyone this year. And, last year I spent a lot of time on anger. My brain was on fire, as my acupuncturist described it. I’ve been struggling with myself, with things I thought I wouldn’t experience, with how I’ve used pain throughout my life. I went from being someone you could count on to being one who rarely follows through. Because of all that, I’m even more blessed by those like you who continued to support Groundwaters. I’ve missed the contact, but I had to step back whether I liked it or not.

Lots of people are in a similar situation, with intense chronic pain. I’m dealing with a degenerative condition in my neck and spinal column. And, I’m learning a big lesson about how the mind affects everything… Some days, I’m unable to drive or write or do anything but lie in one position; yet, I have access to lots of good medical care. How do people cope who don’t? I am humbled when I consider that a great many must live with more challenging circumstances than I.

It’s been a long process for me to get to this point. I didn’t understand it but I changed with the pain I was and wasn’t feeling, and in the last couple years I was incredibly rude to those close to me. A list of my shortcomings includes procrastination, dropping the ball, going crazy, single-mindedness, making things harder than they needed to be, being accountable but half organized and falling further behind, drawn in too many directions, abandoning acquaintances, and making more mistakes. For instance, I haven’t sent an invoice to The Farm Store for their ads in a long time. The Soverns have dutifully sent payment anyway. …So what does that say about them? Subscribers and donors have continued to do the same. My heart has been incredibly touched by such long-term devotion.

What a testament to the Groundwaters team and their work that they endured such a difficult time with me and continued to create something wonderful. In fact, they repaired the foundation of the magazine and started a very nice remodel! I am so pleased with the results. It’s been a success, and I’m not the glue that holds it all together. The spirit of this project lives on through Pat Edwards, Jim Burnett, Jennifer Chambers, Pat Broome (who was involved from the first issue forward), and my husband Sonny.

In June, ownership of Groundwaters magazine was transferred from me to the new LLC formed by the group mentioned above. I was encouraged to carry on as a member of the team, but I declined; though I hope to be a contributor as the magazine goes on. I’m still involved with the Groundwaters web site, as Sonny and I have retained its maintenance and development. The site is truly Sonny’s creation; I simply contribute to that, too. Sonny manages the site and Pat Edwards manages the magazine.

What is left for me to do? Be grateful. Has it been worth it? Yes! You and many other people made it so. Though I didn’t make money, I have been richly rewarded. I never wanted Groundwaters to be pretentious. It was simply offered as a gift from and to the community, a ‘zine that would feature treasures we might not discover otherwise. I promised its first contributors that it would look “no less spiffy than a large newsletter.” In the first issue, I wrote that “Groundwaters is an exchange of experience, meant to encourage closet writers and those who don’t consider themselves as writers. It features friends and neighbors and the unknown. Groundwaters is for those who listen to others, who keep an open mind, and who keep reading.” With that, I began to reap a great harvest.

I’ll share with you some comments from longtime and new-found friends, regarding the evolution of vol. 1 no. 1:

“Your idea to publish a ‘zine is a wonderful one! You will get so much satisfaction in putting it together, getting all the pieces in place. It’ll be hard at first, but I urge you to go for it! The rewards are there for you, for all who participate. Your vision of community is purposeful. I can think of no better way of achieving that goal than through the written word. Words are such powerful tools to move change towards common good. I believe all whom you ignite with your passion, your visions, will assuredly add theirs for an accumulation of ideas, energies and material. It will be exciting to watch, to help, to see the 1st issue of “Groundwater” appear.” ~ Sylvia Beltran, 3/04

“Thank you so much for the opportunity to write – because you asked me, I did, for the first time, in what? Twenty-two years? And to be published feels very odd. I just write press releases and policy, you know?” ~ K.H., 10/04

“I picked up your fabulous first edition of Groundwaters at Lee’s Hardware Store last Tuesday. Hooray for you! You recognized a need, and took the necessary action to satisfy it. Let us hope Groundwaters prospers and endures.” ~ Earl Hain, 11/04

In four years of publication, we’ve not received even one negative comment about Groundwaters. I asked for and received submissions of art (reproduced in B&W), favorite books and recipes, features by and for children, history – local and broad, profiles of small businesses and people in the community, personal experiences, poetry and short fiction, and words of encouragement. It has also been an outlet for community info and been embraced by local businesses. Copies were initially distributed through The Greenhouse Café in Walton, Kelley’s True Value in Veneta, Max’s Tires on Hwy 126, the Noti Post Office, Our Daily Bread restaurant in Veneta, Secret House Winery’s tasting room, and Fern Ridge Library. It just kept growing. From the beginning, it surpassed my expectations. The number of distribution locations tripled by the second issue. I predicted that Groundwaters would outgrow me by its third year, which proved to be true.

(To Be Continued — The second part of Judy’s letter will appear in next week’s blog)