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BY SKIP HELLEWELL
Thoreau lived in a hut on Walden Pond for a bit over two years in the 1840s . His purpose was to find meaning by living as simply as he could amidst Nature , hoping to “ learn what it had to teach , and not , when I came to die , discover that I had not lived .” The resulting book , “ Walden ; or , Life in the Woods ,” is an American classic , still in print . This is about Thoreau ’ s saying , that “ goodness is the only investment that never fails .”
The story begins with the Beautiful Wife returning from her morning walk . She and her friends have done this for years , walking and talking . I marvel at how they never run out
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of words ; they ’ re my best source of neighborhood news . This time she told me about a long-neglected house in the neighborhood I had thought vacant . It turns out someone had been living there , a grumpy old guy , a recluse who avoided human contact .
Fortunately , a neighboring couple got him to agree to the most minimal contact , a weekly wellness check they ’ ve done for years . At a recent check , he was gravely ill from consequences of diabetes , in need of immediate hospitalization , which was arranged . The man was a hoarder , the rooms stacked high with narrow aisles for his wheelchair . Over the years , appliances had stopped working , one by one , even the refrigerator . It was Thoreau in reverse but lived ‘ inside ’ the hut without the benefit of Nature or human contact . And perhaps he was in danger of Thoreau ’ s dilemma , that at death ’ s door , might realize “ he hadn ’ t really lived .”
The good neighbors got his permission to clean out the house and return it to a livable condition while he convalesced . It was a big job , figuring out what to save and toss . Other neighbors joined in , and a small miracle began to take shape . Painters were engaged . A volunteer offered to make curtains . A used refrigerator and stove were found . The home , once a charming cottage , is
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being restored . It ’ s a big change but our recluse , touched by the kindness of strangers , seems to be changing too . As I said , a small miracle is taking shape . Funds were needed to complete the work and the BW encouraged me to deliver a message around the neighborhood explaining what was happening and what was needed . Going door-to-door telling a story and asking for money is hard but in the process , I met many good people . Checks are flowing in . It looks like there ’ ll be enough .
For now , the givers and the receiver must be kept anonymous . It ’ s hard to predict how this story will end for our recluse . People are praying . Could it really happen — as Dr . Seuss famously told us in “ How the Grinch Stole Christmas !”— that a human ’ s heart can grow three sizes ? We ’ ll see . Christmas is coming . But we know this , that a community is capable of heart-warming goodness and that , as Thoreau taught , goodness is the one investment that never fails , blessing all involved . There ’ s meaning in that .
Skip fell in love with Laguna on a ‘ 50s surfing trip . He ’ s a student of Laguna history and the author of “ Loving Laguna : A Local ’ s Guide to Laguna Beach ”. Email : skip @ lovinglaguna . com .
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BY CHRIS QUILTER
Like so many Laguna Beach longtimers , Anne Johnson was recruited by longer-timers to get involved in community causes . That was many years and accomplishments ago . So when Anne stepped down from the Planning Commission in 2020 , after 21 productive years , I was able to be quoted as saying , “ She ’ s not the type to rest on her considerable laurels …. So whatever comes next , she ’ ll give it her considerable all , and our hometown will be better for it .”
Longtime community activists
QUILTER , page 33
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