I keep thinking about the idea of “reinventing cultural legacies ” for it’s a term which so clearly describes how I feel while looking at what I hope to be a part of in this phase of my life, living the adventure of being a single woman for the first time. I feel that it is part of what Vicki and I are trying to do, each in our own way. And, not looking only at our aging but all of the interests and concerns we talk about. Living more lightly on Mother Earth; and the challenges of communicating in positive ways our ideas, concerns, hope and vision. She and I speak frequently of being part of starting ripples on a pond.
Because of the wonderful, joy-filled wedding celebration I was part of last weekend I’d like to share, in two or more blogs, my thought about all I’ve learned about the importance of ceremony in our lives. My thinking about it began in 1988 as:
“All of life is ceremony!” a wise man from the Sioux Nation said to the crowd as we sat on green summer grass in brilliant Alaska sunshine, a few fluffy clouds floating in the deepest blue toward the mountain’s snow-bright peaks as a wisp of steam rose from the volcano. He continued, “This ceremony didn’t start with the opening words we prayed a few minutes ago. This ceremony started in your home when you decided and began preparations to come. It continued during your travel by plane and car.
His words were the beginning of my learning to live with intention and attention, to be aware, to live consciously. With his words the memory of what I only later came to recognize as my first ceremony came flooding back:
I was so very glad to hold on tight to Grandpa’s large calloused hand as we climbed the steps. At three I felt safe in the shadow of his tall form. Early that morning my family had left San Francisco for the drive to Two Rock for my brother and I were going to be baptized that day. Stepping into the old Two Rock church, filled with its Easter crowd of people Grandpa looked down at me, his deep voice telling me, “Kisspatch, everyone here is your relative.” The feeling his words caused has stayed with me all my life. There have been many times that I have deeply doubted that I belonged ~ anywhere ~ but that memory ~ of his voice, his words, has been an undercurrent, warming and reassuring me. “Kisspatch, everyone here is your relative.”
That was my first ceremony ~ a ceremony which has helped to keep me whole.
I later came to see how his words opened me to learning that everyone, everywhere is my relative ~ all of earth’s creation!
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