Sometimes the most meaningful things require a climb. That's what I was thinking as I wound my way up Mount Helix, where a white cross has stood sentinel over East County since 1925. The foundation that maintains this place doesn't get a dime of government money, just the dedication of folks who believe some things are worth preserving.

On this December evening, strings of lights traced paths between craft booths where local artisans had set up shop. I met Dustin, who served our country for 18 years before finding his salvation in coffee beans with his company Red White and Badass Brew. Now he roasts and sells coffee with a purpose bigger than profits - helping prevent veteran suicide. His eyes got distant when he talked about it, about how that next cup of coffee became his reason to keep going. "If this helped me," he told me, "this can help out a lot of other people."

Instagram @redwhiteandbadassbrew

website rwbbcoffee.com

A few booths down, Brittany told me about her plant nursery, which started with some overgrown houseplants that needed trimming. "We weren't supposed to get into every kind of plant," she said, shaking her head with a smile, "but now we have every kind of plant." Her operation grew like kudzu, from those first few cuttings to three connected tents in her backyard, "like a hallway of plants" that connects right to her bedroom door. She started selling just what she could grow, but success has a way of changing things. Now she supplements her homegrown stock with wholesale plants to keep up with demand, especially the green and white varieties that her customers can't seem to resist. You can view their nursery every Sunday 10AM-4PM at 1967 Woodglen Way, El Cajon, CA 92020.

Instagram @dirtdecorations

Santa Claus had made the climb too, though I didn't ask if he'd brought his reindeer or just took advantage of the shuttle from Grossmont High School. Children lined up to tell him their Christmas wishes while parents snapped photos against a backdrop of twinkling city lights stretching all the way to Mexico.

The whole scene reminded me of something important about community - how it's built from the ground up, but maintained from the highest points down. Here on Mount Helix, at about 1,300 feet above sea level, that white cross isn't just a landmark. It's a gathering point, a place where neighbors come together to maintain something bigger than themselves. They don't wait for city hall to do it; they form foundations and organize events and make sure there's always a reason to make the climb.

I watched families huddled together against the December chill, sipping Dustin's coffee and admiring Brittany's plants, and thought about how some of the best things in life require a little effort to reach. Like this park, perched high above the city, where the community comes together to make sure the lights stay on, the paths stay clear, and there's always a reason to look up.