Where we are, and Who we are

In the middle of a busy, tumultuous day, or a weary night, I often stop to think of where I am, and who I am. No matter where we go, we are always on the body of the Land, which is the body of a living being, a Goddess. We are walking in the lap of Sovereignty herself, She without whom no creature would eat or drink, and without whose blessing, no ruler or system of government can be successful.

How wondrous to feel it, to know it- we are all in the lap of a sentient, living, and immortal being, who is far more aware of us than we can usually ever be aware of Her. We are in the lap of She who was life's source, and to whom we return, in one form or another, when we are unbound and set loose at death.

Where am I? Wherever I go, I am in the lap of the Goddess to whom I owe my life. Every mood of Hers is expressed in countless ways, from quiet winds and drizzles to belligerent thunderstorms, from the simple wonder in the eyes of a baby to the dull look in the eyes of men shattered by war. How dynamic and malleable life is, a singular force of awareness and animation in countless forms, enjoying and suffering countless experiences. Everywhere I look, I see life in trees, in green, rolling hills, in rushing water, in people, in animals, in storms, in winds. I am like that, too, and I can never be apart from all this. Sometimes I love, and sometimes I hate, and always I am what the Great One birthed me to be.

Who am I? I'm not really different from anyone else, living flesh filled with water, a wind in my chest and fire woven in all parts of me, radiating heat. Somewhere in this mixture, in this being who is bound together by the power of the Great One, is the spirit of mankind, with all its strengths and weaknesses. All these things I share with you and everyone you or I know- and yet, somehow, I'll never meet another person like you, nor you me. Every human being, like every beast or plant, wherever they are, however they are at this moment in time, enjoys a uniqueness that has never before existed and never will exist again. Perpetual change and uniqueness. This is perpetual dynamism, sacredness, freshness and renewal. Like the seasons we change constantly, yet never do we stray from what we are, because what "we are" is a transformative power, radiant and boundless, enjoying itself in every form it knows or takes.

No matter who are what we are, we all come from the womb of a Goddess. There is no creature in the world, human or otherwise, that can boast differently. In these late days, many are ignorant of their source, but I see Her even now, as I stare out at the stars and dark treetops. When I lay my face against the wet, dark ground, I can feel her. This lineage we all share, this ancestress, endows all our bloodlines with a nobility that cannot be taken from us.

There is a dignity there, in us, in all things, that deserves our protection and our consideration. If we have to fight, let us fight for the protection and well-being of our children and wives and husbands. If we do not have to fight, let us talk and try to understand one another; we are all kin, no matter how different our cultures may be. We can honor our cultures and respect the cultures of others if we can all admit that we are children of a common source, Great Nature, the Mother of the Land. Let us never be cruel, regardless of what we must do. Let us preserve life when we can. Let us focus on family, friends, and enjoyment, more than money and possessions. Let us work to see that our children inherit a world that offers health and resources to them, not a barren world.

I am in the lap of a Goddess, son of a Goddess. Wherever you are, you are there too, and every bit as much her child. There are Gods, and among them we have a Father, and a teacher, and many protectors. We are from the same family they spring from, and so were all of our grandmothers and grandfathers. There is a community of life seen and a community unseen, and the two are one community. In this great family, I take my place consciously and give honor to them, every day of my life. To give worth to these kindreds, and to know the worth of who and what we are, and where we are- that is joy. It has been my joy to know this for many years now, and it will be my joy the day I die.