3-10-02
News travels fast in the macrobiotic world. People often wonder what is really happening in Becket, Massachusetts where the Kushi Institute is located. Here’s some neighborhood news to bring you up to date on the Becket macrobiotic community activities.
The Kushi Institute and many local macrobiotic residents are located in what is known as the north village of Becket. It consists of the Becket General Store, post office, telephone company, 2 churches, elementary school, library and art centers, auto body and repair shops, and what is fondly known as the “dump.”
The years 2001 and 2002 have brought, I am happy to say, more visits from Michio Kushi to Becket. He prepared a meal with the cooking staff for all KI employees and their spouses on New Year’s Day 2002. It was a formal affair. The food was delicious and the company wonderful. Phiya Kushi presented Michio with a set of gold plated portable chopsticks. For two days after this meal I felt charged with energy. It was the kind I felt in the beginning of my macrobiotic practice over fifteen years ago. Many remember their early macrobiotic practices fondly.
In 2001 the big news in Becket was Wendy Esko left town for a wonderful job with Eden Foods. Wendy and her children are well and happy. We miss them a lot. Ed and Wendy Esko are now the proud grandparents of two baby girls. Their sons, Eric and Mark, have lovely partners and children. Ed Esko continues to promote his wonderful body care products including soaps and shampoo under the brand name KI Essentials.
Alex Jack and Ed Esko have been working diligently in Becket and around the globe to help raise awareness of the dangers of genetically engineered foods and products. Gail Jack continues to support Alex in his publishing and organizational efforts, as well as, working on her own macrobiotic cooking and lifestyle projects. Gail and Alex became the grandparents of a beautiful baby boy, Hans, in 2001. Their daughter, Masha, is doing well in her new role with the loving support of her parents.
Miria Pencke and her husband, Sami Rehab, are the proud grandparents of a beautiful girl and a new sibling is on the way. Miria continues her dedicated work at the Kushi Institute and Sami is manager of the nearby Kripalu Yoga Center store and mail order company in Lenox, MA.
Keith Sharp and Carolyn Heidenry moved back to the Becket area and purchased a home in the neighboring town of Washington. Some of you may remember when Carolyn was Director of the Kushi Institute. Keith is currently working with the Berkshire Mountain Bakery and Richard Bourdon our local supplier and mail order house for fine organic sourdough bread.
Mercedes Gallager, a long time macrobiotic activist and Becket resident, recently purchased a home in Becket from Carry Wolf.
Carry Wolf continues her teaching at the Kushi Institute in-between world travels, business and educational pursuits. John and I purchased a home from Carry in 2001. Carry is staying with us for a while in an adjacent apartment in our house.
John and I are the proud grandparents of three children all-residing with us at the present time in addition to their mother, my mother, and my twelve-year-old daughter, Samantha. John’s daughters, Anna and Suzanne, visit on the weekends. We are a busy house!
Charles Millman and his partner, Patricia Price, continue all their good works to help humanity at the Kushi Institute and in the local area. Charles is a teacher at the Institute and Patricia has been a major contributor. She is an accomplished artist. We are blessed to have a beautiful Children’s Buddha sculpture in our neighborhood as a result of her artistic and spiritual endeavors.
Like everyone else in the world, we are all trying to live happily ever after in Becket. It is a continuous challenge with highs, lows and in-betweens. The trials and tribulations we all experience as human beings take place in Becket as well. Please join with us in your mind. Know we are thinking of you always. We want to join with you in peace to help others and ourselves. Blessings to everyone. More news to come.