to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy… and to laugh along the way
Our dream now is to keep developing the farm sustainably, to keep building cacao products we can be proud of, and to leave behind something the next generation can actually carry forward. If Gran Verde proves anything, it is that limited resources and a difficult beginning don’t have to be the end of the story – not if you’re willing to clear the land one patch at a time, and change course when the land asks you to.
The pull toward the wild isn’t new to me. Rather, it feels more like a homecoming. I’ve always been an outdoor man. It is a desire I rediscovered during my days as a young lieutenant. Patrolling the mountains with the elite Scout Rangers wasn’t just a duty; it was where I felt most alive.
Life doesn’t need to be complicated to be fulfilling; it just needs a dash of adventure, a bit of competition, and a creative mind to capture it all. My playing days may be over. As my Papa used to say: I used to be an all-around athlete, but now the only athlete left in me is my athlete’s foot! But the passion for the game – and the stories behind it – will remain as strong as ever.
The highlands of Alicia gave us more than a physical ascent; it offered a shared memory, a reminder that beauty, when pursued together, becomes a great, memorable experience. For Buchi, the grand adventure was a spark—one that lit up his imagination that hopefully will develop a strong bond with nature and a strong sense of responsibility over our environment. We are grateful for this wonderful opportunity to bond, to exercise, and most of all, to teach the young one of our collective responsibility for the wild, wonderful world he will learn to live and love in the years ahead.
As we welcome the new year, I pray that we learn to bring love into each other’s hearts. Let us practice empathy before judgment; let us be present rather than perfect; let us extend grace in moments of frustration; let us express gratitude for everyday acts of goodness; and uplift others with encouragement and genuine praise. Let us learn to listen more than we debate, let us strive to learn more than we assume, and let us endeavor to love more than we fear.
Before the 300-plus delegates in the MEDA Convention, Wit articulated her struggles as a woman-farmer. Women-farmers globally face the same triple burdens: the same invisibility, the same undervaluation, the same branding as the minor partner. But they also share the same resiliency, the same strength, the same innovation, and determination to create a better future.
Color My World 