40 Days of Peace DAY TWO

Nov 5

Our stories shape our vision of the world

Screen Shot 2019-11-04 at 10.48.02 PM.png — Our culture (or lack of) shapes
our view of the world

I barely got through the first page of Braiding Sweetgrass and the tears began to soak my face. I fell in love with Skywoman! And I’m not saying I don’t love Eve, but I have always felt heartache when I think of Eve, and in reading Skywomans story, I connected with every word. Her dance upon the Turtles back was felt in my soul. Her relationship with the animal relatives is my heart song!!
But this was not the Creation story I was told as a child.
**Can a story shape our view of the world, even if it’s a parable?** The answer is absolutely YES. Our stories absolutely shape us.

I grew up the daughter and granddaughter (and great grand-daugher) of preachers. Yep, you can call me a “PK”, (though I’ve retired that title). So from a very early age I was taught ALL the bible stories and like a good PK, I even memorized my bible verses and catechisms. There are lots of stories and parables that I loved in the bible, but the Creation story always puzzled me and caused me to question everything I was being taught.

I hurt for Eve. I couldn’t really connect with her and when I did, all I felt was shame and heartache. Why was the woman created AFTER the man, especially when all humans are created from the womb of a woman? And why is Eve pictured as a sex symbol who seduces Adam in storybooks? And how was Eve created from a bone in Adams body? And how did their sons have children? NONE of it made sense to me.

And so, when I open this book and read this beautiful love story of Skywoman and the mutual reciprocity between her and the winged and 4 legged and the earth.. and I sat their bawling my eyes out! I felt robbed. My whole life I could have held THIS Creation Story in my heart and how differently would I have seen myself as a girl… as a woman.. as a part of Creation? Would I have carried all the shame that poisoned my very being? Would I have allowed myself to hold the title of “Victim” for so long? I can’t say. But a story that connects me to nature in a good way, lays the groundwork for a similar relationship with Her.

I always loved nature. I always saw God in nature, even more so than in people unfortunately. And God was always holding me close when I was in nature. I am grateful that nature has always loved me back. I grew up in the woods of West Virginia. Literally, in the woods. My brothers and I spent our childhood playing in the acres of forest surrounding our little yellow house in the woods. My grandparents lived below us and my uncle and aunt above us.

My relationship with nature is the longest friendships I’ve had. And when I feel alone and disconnected from myself, I take a walk in the woods and find my way back HOME … to myself… to Source.. to Creator. The magic in the bloom of a flower, the moss on a tree, or a hawk that seems to know me by name, ALWAYS CALLS ME HOME. And for all of this I am grateful. I suppose I didn’t have Skywoman’s story as a child, but she found me in the woods. And maybe this is part of the magic. Maybe THIS is why Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. Maybe this is why Buddha spent 40 days under the Bodhi tree. Maybe there is something magical about going into nature alone to listen. Maybe there is something sacred about spending 40 days “listening”.