once read about an elementary class where children were asked to draw a picture of themselves, and another elementary class where indigenous children were asked to draw a picture of themselves.
The first group of children drew their body, larger-than-life, front and center with a scattered tree, sun or house in the background; the indigenous children drew their body to scale with Nature — complete with sky, trees, grass, birds, mountains, streams, animals.
This simple story intrigued me then, and it intrigues me now.
It caught my attention because many of us have been conditioned to fit into one of four categories in the context of our role (or non-role) as sacred Caretakers of the Earth:
• Me, Myself and I — The first category is a familiar place where we perceive ourselves as front and center beings and look out at the world with “oversized eyes.” To my mind, it is like having a long-term chronic illness, one that has been part of their personal dynamic so long that they have forgotten how it feels to be pain-free, vibrant and alive.
• Asleep at the Wheel — The second group is made up of people who are asleep at the “Big Picture” wheel. Busying themselves day after day with deadlines, to-do lists and other repetitive activities, too exhausted to engage their mind, let alone tackle deeper philosophical questions relating to their perception of self, and how this perception rolls out in the context of where they fit in their natural environment.
• Stretch & Yawners — The third group is made up of reams of people waking up, shaking their head, taking notice, motivated to act — yet hesitating because they are unsure of what questions to ask, or actions to take, or what support structure to put in place as they begin to explore this topic area. This group’s views and actions are the ebb and flow of popular opinion.
• Talk Walkers —
