Land Gifts #4vw "Kinship", vw

 “I know myself within the abundance and diversity of life upon the Earth and celebrate our kinship.”

Chief Archie Fire Lame Deer

 

In “Land Gifts #1”, Carol and I commented to one another on the word, “kinship.” My first thought, personally, was to limit it to only human societal connections. That was wrong; much, much too limiting!

Even Wikipedia, itself, expands its first definition (blood relationship) to almost limitless definitions, i.e., a sharing of characteristics or origins! It then expands its sharing concept by giving 31 words indicating differing focuses of kinship, e.g. sympathy, affinity, harmony, link, connection, etc. Thus, I can expand these definitions - to the Universe, Cosmos, God, Creation, etc.

Today, reflecting on “kinship,” I think of a current direction that science, particularly biology, is exploring. Of course, for centuries there have been many scientists, theologians, philosophers and writers who have expanded the concept of kinship into a broader perspective than humankind. But, presently, there are many more voices questioning the scientific constraints considering our role on the Earth, in the Universe, and the Cosmos, itself.

Science, now supported by leaps in technology and discoveries in quantum physics, unabashedly refers to the “web,” underscoring the interconnections and inter-dependence of all there is; between things we can see and things that we can’t. So, during the process of examining whether I have “kinship” with this land, and to answer Carol’s question, I have come to realize that, YES, definitely; I not only have kinship with this wonderful land I live on; I have kinship with All There Is.