Why Is a Dog Driving?

People might think it’s flippant or cute that we wrote our Indiegogo fundraising campaign in the voice of our dog. But for us, that’s a perfect representation of his membership in our collective.

Tuatha’s safety and security (and his place in our lives) are big reasons for our choice to travel by rv. Another is my desire to have a sense of rootedness. Whereas C.T. is a true gypsy, happy living out of a suitcase perpetually, I come from rooted people and prefer a sense of home.

Tuatha is both a child of ours and a sage teacher, grounding us in what’s important while bringing rhythm and routine to our lives. He’s a clown, an athlete, a doorbell and a cuddle buddy.

When C.T. first met my dog Tuatha, he said, “That’s not a real dog,” remembering is old lab Yoda, who was not as pampered, nervous and needy as Tuatha. But as they taught each other how to play soccer and as vegetarian chef C.T. took over the chore of cooking Tuatha’s vegan dog food, they each came to their own understanding. C.T. decided that Tuatha is in fact a dog, of a sort, and also a child substitute, and Tuatha claimed C.T. as his Papa.

As we park Serenity in our fourth host location since leaving Heathcote in February, Tuatha feels secure with all the changes because we’re there, we’re family. And he has the same effect on us.

Fiopa is not the first collective to be shaped by the needs of a dog. There’s the tale of a set of puppies that cemented the collective that would create Food Not Bombs.

Stay tuned to Hippie Chick Diaries for the story of the dogs that founded Food Not Bombs!

In the meantime, please visit our campaign, contribute and refer friends often. We have about three weeks left to raise three thousand dollars and keep our rv home on the road!

Since our campaign started, C.T. and I have received no fewer than four requests for workshops. But none of these new groups have funding to hire us. Let’s show the world what community means by keeping this consensus teaching going!

Loaves and fishes, my friends; Loaves and fishes!

—WT

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