More Than Just Crows A short story By Jared Goodykoontz
Editor’s Note: Including a short story in the magazine is a departure from the norm for us, but when Jared came to us with this idea, we were immediately interested. At a moment in history when much of the rhetoric bouncing around both social and mainstream media involves perceived divisions and constant reminders of all that apparently separates us, why not seek a bit common ground? For some, differ- ent faiths clash with scientific principles. One of the more well-known examples is the matter of evolution versus cre- ation. But is “versus” really the word to use here? Can the two not co-exist? Back in last year’s summer issue (# 120), Carissa McKinney, who is of both Jewish and Indigenous descent, wrote of being worried that her teaching evolution would be frowned upon at her Jewish school. After all, the scientific understanding we have of Earth evolving over 4.6 billion years doesn’t really jive with believing that the pro- cess took six days. Not only did Carissa find no resistance to teaching evolution, but she was inspired to dig deeper into how conservation of natural resources aligns with the teachings of both Judaism and the Wampanoag Nation of her father’s lineage. As outlined in her article, Carissa was pleased with the fascinating connections she found. Jared has had a similar experience examining Christianity. And
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this is just a starting point. As an organization committed to hearing from and giving voice to as many different perspec- tives as possible, we’re excited to continue exploring the various roles conservation plays in the many different faiths and understandings of life that comprise our community and beyond.
F
RANCIS BOOTED UP HIS laptop. After almost a year of pandemic-caused virtual doctor’s appoint- ments, business meetings, and church services, it
was now time to begin the virtual family Christmas gather- ings. He felt thankful for the technology to do this… but of course, his humanity ached for proximity — being close to the people he cared about. Francis had seen many ups and downs throughout his years as a pastor, but 2020 had surely been a unique challenge. As the “meeting” began, face after face popped up in its
allocated two-inch square. There was his sister Lisa with her dogs; his brother Philip with his wife Nancy; his nephew Pete who had changed his background to outer space. Soon the screen was full of dozens of faces, all mostly staring at themselves on their screens. Cousin Dorothy, a mental health professional, decided to do a mental health check.
“Everybody, I don’t want the whole time to be heavy, but I think it’s important to be open and honest and share with
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Photos by Jared Goodykoontz
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