The times they are a changin' and at what seems like such a rapid and chaotic pace. But, in all actuality, if you slow yourself down long enough to really pay attention, many of the changes are going back to the old ways. Albeit with a modern spin, gardening is a great example of this. However, there is so much more wisdom in the old ways that our modern world has all but forgotten.
There was a time when the Elders of the community/village/tribe were the wisdom keepers. They were the ones the people went to for obtaining a better understanding of the community, the world at large and even themselves. The Elders were usually the story tellers, sharing their teaching stories, as the children and adults alike gathered around the fire together at the end of the day. Literally every story they told came with a lesson or a message of "Peace, passion, and perception of presence", as one of my Elders recently said.
I have been rather fortunate in my walk through life as I have been blessed with the company and guidance of many Elders. Since childhood my time was always spent with people much older than myself, always asking questions, watching the tasks they completed, absorbing everything like a sponge. Yes, I will admit that some of the wisdom they shared with me wasn't listened to and the lessons learned were far more harsh than they should have been had I listened. But, regardless of my stubbornness, they have always been there for me in the aftermath of my choices with encouragement and love.
The majority of today's youth do not see the irreplaceable value of the Elders to the family and the community at large. Many families are so caught up in their personal lives that, when an Elder of the family needs help, they are quickly shuffled away into a retirement home where someone else is paid to watch over them. And, more often than not, the stories and wisdom that Elder carried ends up lost when they eventually cross over. I have personally witnessed this time and again and it breaks my heart.
Thankfully, there are Elders out there that are still spry enough to get themselves around and are sharing their valuable teachings in places they are invited to be heard. These Elders come from many different backgrounds, from the upbringings of indigenous cultures to the streets of the inner cities, each carrying some level of wisdom that not only needs to be heard, but also passed on to the future generations because the Elders of today have seen not just more transition of mankind than any others throughout history but also more mistakes and they have learned valuable lessons from all of it.
As the years have passed, I have heard a calling that only continues to get louder. I've heard the call of the Elders in needing a place where they can gather, share their wisdom and network with one another and I am working toward providing them a place to do exactly that. In the new year coming, we have scheduled the weekend of April 8th -10th for the Elders to come and gather here in the mountains of North Carolina to discuss what we need to be teaching to the up and coming generations, what we are building and how we need to build it for their comfort in future gatherings.
Once we have a solid footing, I will be scheduling work weekends for those called to attend to the needs of the Elders, creating a sanctuary in which they can share with one another and pass on the pertinent teachings of the times. So, please stay tuned and remember to spend a little extra time with the Elders in your family during this holiday season keeping in mind that, one day, you too will be an Elder.
Remember, yesterday is already gone, tomorrow is never promised, that's why today is called the present, so be sure to cherish the time spent with your loved ones because that time is a gift.
Wishing you and your Beloveds a Blessed Holiday Season and may the coming year be the beginning of everything you have worked, hoped, wished and prayed for.
Sincerely,
Tracy Renée
There was a time when the Elders of the community/village/tribe were the wisdom keepers. They were the ones the people went to for obtaining a better understanding of the community, the world at large and even themselves. The Elders were usually the story tellers, sharing their teaching stories, as the children and adults alike gathered around the fire together at the end of the day. Literally every story they told came with a lesson or a message of "Peace, passion, and perception of presence", as one of my Elders recently said.
I have been rather fortunate in my walk through life as I have been blessed with the company and guidance of many Elders. Since childhood my time was always spent with people much older than myself, always asking questions, watching the tasks they completed, absorbing everything like a sponge. Yes, I will admit that some of the wisdom they shared with me wasn't listened to and the lessons learned were far more harsh than they should have been had I listened. But, regardless of my stubbornness, they have always been there for me in the aftermath of my choices with encouragement and love.
The majority of today's youth do not see the irreplaceable value of the Elders to the family and the community at large. Many families are so caught up in their personal lives that, when an Elder of the family needs help, they are quickly shuffled away into a retirement home where someone else is paid to watch over them. And, more often than not, the stories and wisdom that Elder carried ends up lost when they eventually cross over. I have personally witnessed this time and again and it breaks my heart.
Thankfully, there are Elders out there that are still spry enough to get themselves around and are sharing their valuable teachings in places they are invited to be heard. These Elders come from many different backgrounds, from the upbringings of indigenous cultures to the streets of the inner cities, each carrying some level of wisdom that not only needs to be heard, but also passed on to the future generations because the Elders of today have seen not just more transition of mankind than any others throughout history but also more mistakes and they have learned valuable lessons from all of it.
As the years have passed, I have heard a calling that only continues to get louder. I've heard the call of the Elders in needing a place where they can gather, share their wisdom and network with one another and I am working toward providing them a place to do exactly that. In the new year coming, we have scheduled the weekend of April 8th -10th for the Elders to come and gather here in the mountains of North Carolina to discuss what we need to be teaching to the up and coming generations, what we are building and how we need to build it for their comfort in future gatherings.
Once we have a solid footing, I will be scheduling work weekends for those called to attend to the needs of the Elders, creating a sanctuary in which they can share with one another and pass on the pertinent teachings of the times. So, please stay tuned and remember to spend a little extra time with the Elders in your family during this holiday season keeping in mind that, one day, you too will be an Elder.
Remember, yesterday is already gone, tomorrow is never promised, that's why today is called the present, so be sure to cherish the time spent with your loved ones because that time is a gift.
Wishing you and your Beloveds a Blessed Holiday Season and may the coming year be the beginning of everything you have worked, hoped, wished and prayed for.
Sincerely,
Tracy Renée