To our relations...

Grandmother Red Leaf, a Cherokee Elder, and Uncle Bob Randall, an Aborigine Elder, combined forces last Saturday, October 23, and presented a day of wisdom at Laughing Waters.

Though their cultures have existed for centuries on opposite sides of
the planet, it was inspiring to see and hear how similar their worldviews are. As
evidenced by their names, both cultures place great emphasis on family relationships. In
fact, families are considered to consist of everyone in the tribe or clan. Uncle Bob said
that he didn’ t know who his real mother was until he was grown because all of her sisters
were mothers to him.

Family connections even go beyond human relationships. All
living beings are considered to be cousins or siblings, parents or grandparents; and each
individual, whether human, plant, animal or mineral, is revered as a teacher. When asked
about invasive species such as kudzu and bittersweet, Grandmother Red Leaf answered
that they are expressing their anger about the way Mother Earth is suffering.

If all humans on the planet had this world view, I can’ t help but think that we would not be
polluting oceans, burning massive amounts of fossil fuel, thinning the ozone layer, and
destroying the delicate balance that is needed for all life to thrive for generations to come.

Take a moment in your day to honor your extended family, whether it be to your mother, your aunt, the tree, the birds, or the earth in some way.  Even if it is something simple, like turning the thermostate down a degree or two, do something to show you care.

Peace to all of our relations.

To see upcoming workshops at Laughing Waters go to www.LaughingWatersNC.com
For more information about becoming part of a sustainable community near Asheville North Carolina go to www.HickoryNutForestEcoCommunity.com