I moved to Ashland some time ago, and now work the typical forty-plus hours a week. There is little in the way of Salvage at this end of the valley, and the deals I've seen in Grants Pass, Cave Junction, and Klamath Falls require more time and energy to uncover. I miss the rag-tag bunch of souls who were a part of my morning routine for so many days. It was amazing to interact and communicate with people with whom I never would have sought out, and to experience the kindness and warmth of humanity that truly defines community. Though we only saw one another for half an hour a day, and though our backgrounds were varied, I believe the commonalties which solidified our relationship lay in an understanding I will call The Common Ground.
Beauty lies in some of the most despicable places.
A pair of red velvet slippers in the bottom of a Salvage bin, for example. Diversity brings richness to life without exception, so speak to the person next to you, listen, and ask questions. Sometimes it is better and more fulfilling to transform something old into something new using your own energy than it is to lazily buy something off the department store shelf. And community, in the deepest sense of the word, is exemplified in the rules of the Salvage experience. It's a willingness to not push or steal from others, to seek for yourself and share what you find, and to recognize that some days will belong to you and others will highlight someone else.