“But for the sacrifices made by some of your ancestors, you would not be here; they have paid for you. So, when you enter a challenging situation, bring them on the stage with you; let their distant voices add timbre and strength to your words. For it is your job to pay for those who are yet to come.”- Maya Angelou
Who do you bring on stage with you in a challenging situation?
Sarah Pirtle sings, “all the people that I meet have a heartbeat.” Your beating heart connects you to all of the people of the Earth. all of the people who ever were and all of the people who ever will be.
Honor your connection to all beings today.
I love old photographs. Above my desk are the wedding photos of both sets of my grandparents. On my bookcase are photos of my family members in every decade since the 1940s. There is something about those soft black-and-white photos, some gently watercolored, that brings me comfort. -Michael Tino (CLF)
Who would you love to have a photograph of for your desk?
In many cultures, it is thought that this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere is when the veil between this world and the world of the dead is at its thinnest. Many people celebrate this thinness by communicating with ancestors.
What would you say to your ancestors if you could communicate with them?
Places can hold our memories in special ways. Some of us have special places where we can feel our ancestors close–our physical or our spiritual ancestors. Sometimes that’s a place we shared with them, other times it is a place that reminds us of some characteristic of theirs.
Where do you go that you feel your ancestors close?
