December 28, 2006

YOU NEVER KNOW

One of the exciting things about life is you never know what is going to happen.
Yesterday morning I took my puppy, Amik, for a walk and it didn't take long to come upon an adventure. We just got started down the trail when we began to see (and smell, for Amik) animal tracks crisscrossing all over. First we spotted a half dozen coyote tracks converging and dividing, and then we noticed a few sets of deer tracks zigging and zagging. What drama! Right on this spot, a challenge had taken place between aggressive predators whose survival depended on the ability to chase down dinner and skittish prey whose survival depended on the ability to run away fast.
We wandered around checking out all the scenarios and what we found, right by where I have a seat overlooking the lake, were four places where the deer had bedded down as well as a lot of droppings. Using my imagination, I surmised that one of the coyotes had tripped on a twig that was hidden under the light bed of snow and the deer, frightened to death by the sound, jumped up and ran for sweet life.
What fun an imagination is! Think of all the stories I could write with just that bit of information. Whose point of view do I tell it from, the deer's or the coyote's and which deer or coyote? The young or the alpha? And what if...? Isn't it wonderful to be a human being and be able to create any world you like?

Fascinating, isn't it, how December brings out the creative spirit? It's like the heavy darkness pulls down all the useless bits we've accumulated over the year and invites us to let them go. What is left is the truth of who we are. At this time of year artistry of all kinds and shapes comes to the fore and life abounds in spite of the cold and isolation.
It's as if the spirit of the season lifts a veil and we can see that we are creators of our lives and not merely puppets of our genetics. Instead of hibernating, we humans grasp life by the horns, put up lights, invite friends over for dinner, and play on the ice and snow. Kindness is shared, songs are sung, differences between cultures are blurred, and for a short time, Peace On Earth really does exist.

We're not looking for meaning in life; we're searching for the experience of feeling fully alive, said Joseph Campbell. At this time of year, feeling fully alive isn't about having an adrenaline rush from some extreme event. The thrill of being alive is about connecting with others and contributing to their happiness. Ron MacLean of Hockey Night In Canada said: we are not here to see through each other, we are here to see each other through. This may not sound exciting but when you see an elderly woman's face light up because you took the time to visit, or you start a charity drive to gather boots for needy kids, or you help a loaded-down mother get her stroller through the door, your heart smiles and pumps a freshness through your body that reminds you you are not just a person but a fully living human being, a human being who can choose to create goodness, and a human being who will not sell out their humanity for an impermanent toy or flash of celebrity.

We start out as animals, dependent on our family and our pack for our well being. But there comes a time when we must ascend to our human nature and make it our purpose to imagine and create a flourishing world. Let's use the excitement of this holiday season to ignite our creativity and support each other so we can keep it going for all time.
With our imagination, determination and sense of goodness, you never know what will happen.