The time has come for me to pass the management of The Butterfly Fairy Garden at Laguna’s public library to a new team of volunteers. I have had eight magical years of absolute joy designing the garden with stepping stone paths, butterfly-attracting plants, and little fairy houses for children to discover.
I have always only meant for it to be a place of peace and joy. So the controversy over my having placed a peace sign between a small Ukrainian and American flag in the garden has made me sad. The peace sign is not political. It does not take sides. It stands for no armed conflict between all people. It stands for finding humanitarian and peaceful ways to solve our differences and problems. So it is sad that our library has called my peace sign political and taken it down. Especially because I believe peace is what is in all our hearts here in Laguna.
I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive of me and the garden. Especially the Friends of the Library Board of Directors.
But, I also want to make something clear. Laguna’s library is just a branch of the Orange County Library. The head of the library here and all the workers are employees of the County, not the City of Laguna Beach. It was the County that demanded the sign be taken down. This leads me to my main reason for writing.
As the City of Laguna Beach took action at Tuesday’s city council meeting to buy the library property back from the County, I have a suggestion. Instead of renting the library back to the County to run after the sale, why couldn’t we run our own library? Or rent it to the County to run with a provision that allows Laguna Beach to have a say in what our library can and cannot do? For as Rumi is reported to have said: “Out beyond right and wrong there is a field… I’ll meet you there.”
Peacefully,
Jessica DeStefano, Laguna Beach
The removal of the peace sign and Ukranian flag was absolutely ridiculous, and the fact that you are leaving after eight years, sad beyond belief. I want to thank you for the JOY you have brought to the children of our town, as well as the visitors. My great niece who is 10, has grown up visiting the fairy garden often and delighting in it. I live up the street and have walked by and witnessed you time and time again working hard to make everything just perfect for the kids. Please know how much everyone appreciates all you have done to design and maintain this utterly enchanting place, you will be so missed.
Kim Bailey I agree with every single word you said. What happened is not only ridiculous, but absurd. So now, wishing for world peace is prohibited … Unbelievable !
I guess I won’t be visiting the garden/library anymore, along with many of our friends.