A Jeweler That Cares

Introduction:

I was honored for my work at this year’s JCK Show by Jewelers That Care, a new nonprofit. This is the text of the speech I gave on Saturday.
~ Marc Choyt, Publisher

“I just turned 50 last week. I took it as an opportunity to reflect upon what has been most important in my life.

One of the blessings in my life is that I’ve had many wonderful mentors. Among them, Paula Underwood, stands out.

Paula was an Iroquois history keeper. Some of her stories were thousands of years old. They were about what is most essential in the experience of being a human being.

She published several books, consulted for corporations, and presented at systems thinking conferences. She would focus on strategic planning — future planning.

For her, it was not about next month, next quarter, next year or even five years from now, but 500 hundred years from now.

She would ask groups not all that different from you, this question: “What is your 500 year plan?”

It’s possible to imagine what it was like 500 years ago — but 500 years in the future…

For myself, I think a lot about what I can do to make life better for our Children’s – children’s – children.

One thing that’s clear — sustainability is not the answer. It is a helpful step, but it is far too late to be sustainable. If we continue on our current pace of consumption, there will not be a lot left in the future for billions and billions of people.

We need to think differently, out of the box.

Instead of sustainable models, we need to find ways of creating what I call ‘regenerative economic models’ — models that strengthen community and ecology throughout our supply chain, particularly in producer communities.

Sustainability is about decreasing our impact. Regenerative economies increase our impact in a direction that supports and even rebuilds life giving capacities.

We have examples of what I’m talking about right here.

What Eric Braunwart is doing in Malawi through his fair trade efforts is regenerative to those communities.

The Devon Foundation.

I’d like to also mention Finesse’s polishing operations in Namibia, and the fair trade gold partnership between ARM and FLO.

It is more difficult and costly to do these projects, yet they still must be competitive with those that focus only on the bottom line. They need our support.

To truly come to terms with the connection between how we spend our money and its global effect, is one of the greatest spiritual challenges to the survival of the human species.

To face this challenge, we have to get to the real root of creating regenerative economies. That is the recognition that the world is one community. Humanity and Nature share a common fate.

To grasp the magnificence of how we are all interconnected is a matter for the heart — the source of love and gratitude for what we have.

One person can do remarkable things, which is how we came to be here — a group of jewelers that care, brought together by a person who had a vision and followed her heart.

All of you here have the capacity and vision to make a massive difference. So I would say to you, in closing, that you are the 500 Year Plan.

You are the seeds for a regenerative economy, for a hopeful future for our Children’s-children’s-children.

The most important and beautiful things in life cannot be bought or sold. They are given freely.

When you listen to your heart, really listen deeply to yourself, and lean into that Great Mystery, you will know what to do.

Thank you for being here and listening to me. May God bless all of you, with love, community and a beautiful long and healthy life.”

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