|
|
The Wellsprings of Memory
David Albert and Joyce Reed's "What Really Matters"
column, published
in Natural Life Magazine's March/April 2009 issue is entitled
The Wellsprings of
Memory. David investigates how the experiences of youth
– both positive and negative – about life and learning
create who we are as adults. Then, David and Joyce list some "wellsprings of memory" that they hope their
life learning children carry with them into adulthood.
He also asks readers to contribute
theirs. Here are David's and Joyce's wellsprings, as well as those contributed
by readers. After you've read the column, you can add yours to this page by emailing the editor.
David Albert:
-
That with the advantages of our birth and upbringing comes a responsibility to
others who lacked similar advantages;
-
That we can tackle any task placed before us without fear of failure and that,
more often than not, time, energy and effort can get us where we want to go;
-
That we can learn from the example and experience of others and rejoice in the
experience of others unlike ourselves;
-
That we can experience joy in activities and pursuits at which we are not
particularly “gifted” or which are not likely to be highly valued by many
others;
-
That love and learning go hand-in-hand.
Joyce Reed:
-
That our primary option for choice in our lives lies not within our
circumstances or experiences, but with our response-ability – our ability to
respond to what is given or opened for us. In other words, when life provides a
knock on our door, will we get dragged kicking and screaming through the
incident/path that opens? Or get up, brush our bottoms off and dance off down
the path? We always have that choice, no matter how hard the circumstances may
seem;
-
That it pays to be honest with ourselves.
Soline Weidema:
-
That my
children will be able to access and work through their painful ("acid-etched") memories and confront the people that have caused
them misery (me as a parent included), so that they will not
waste precious energy in order to keep these painful memories at
bay;
-
That they will
never consider themselves products/consumers/serfs, but live and act
like free men, happy with themselves, convinced of their power;
-
That they will
never believe the myths that society has been spinning about dark
and black men and that they continue to bask in their
self-confidence when confronted with racism;
-
That they will
be able to continue to play and have a playful and creative mind;
-
That they will
be able to form deep and satisfying relationships with the people
they like and love.
|
|
