[A closeup of the broken bobbin winder shaft]
Today was a strange day. The strangeness began when I broke my bobbin winder on the first bobbin of the day. I have used this winder nonstop since February. The shaft turns about 150,000 times a day for a total of about 22,000,000 revolutions in 5 months.
I noticed early on that it had a tendency to "chatter", vibrating from off-center bobbins or something. I guess after a few million times flexing the shaft like that it just gave out.
I took the failure of a trusted tool to be an indicator that I should check in with our problem visitor before I cobbled together a bobbin winding solution. With two of us facilitating, it took 4 hours to untangle the story. In the end, I think he is suffering from a persecution-flavored paranoia. He had concocted some unbelievable stories of malfeasance directed at him and was then lashing out at us to retaliate for the horrors he had endured. They were completely imagined.
When we gave him the choice to talk directly with the person he was accusing or to leave, he chose to leave. I think that's a shame, since the conflict resolution process is one of the most beautiful and enlightening things we have to teach here. In the end, it's better for community health if we don't have someone threatening us and our land.
Then, last night, two friends showed up. We laughed, caught up, and shared our stories from the last few months. I stayed up too late for an ice cream social and watched the full moon rise into a misty sky.
[Harlan at morning tea]
It was a whole day off from weaving cloth, but the energy spent weaving our community is well worth it.
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