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| Providing Wisdom in Building a Sustainable Future | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 "Mutter mit zwei Kindern," 1932-1936 Käthe-Kollwitz  "A Father's Love" Brad Sumner GLP |
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A Day for Mothers and A Day for Fathers: Stewards & Caretakers All by Elaine Ireland A couple of widely used definitions of sustainability are "that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs," and similarly, the Great Law of the Iroquois, "In every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation... even if it requires having skin as thick as the bark of a pine." This perspective to caretake for the future lies in the hands of our vision and stewardship capabilities. Parents being the first line of creating the future, know all too well that sometimes addressing pressing issues in the present doesn't allow much bandwidth for consideration of the future in every given moment. But as parents, that is our charge. We do want the best for our kids and their future, our grandkids and on down the line. So, how can we be here now and leave that kind of legacy for tomorrow? What's the vision? How do we stay on course to stretch ourselves beyond our immediate family to village, nation, planet? One Sunday in May and one Sunday in June we celebrate Mothers and Fathers respectively, the stewards and caretakers of generations past, present and future. The celebration of motherhood on Mother's Day dates back to the ancient Greeks. And although motherhood is commemorated in national celebrations around the globe, here in the USA it was two West Virginians, Anna Reeves Jarvis and her daughter, who campaigned for a Mothers' Work Day with a vision for taking care of people in their state and for the Civil War troops — specifically to raise awareness about sanitation issues. Concomitantly, the efforts of Julia Ward Howe, author of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," whose vision was to institute a national celebration of mothers to honor women's inclinations toward peace. It took over 50 years but by 1914, Mother's Day was recognized as a national holiday by Presidential proclamation, not so much as originally intended — for caretaking issues of peace and cleanliness stretching beyond the family, but emphasizing the caretaking role of women within their families. For decades Father's Day had been celebrated in many cities across the USA before 1966 when it was declared a national holiday by Presidential proclamation. It began almost 60 years earlier in Washington state when Mrs. John B. Dodd proposed the idea of a father's day to honor her father, a Civil War veteran, who was left to raise six children by himself on their rural farm after his wife died in childbirth. The impetus was to honor the strength and selflessness of a father raising his children as a single parent. Today it is for all men who act as a father figure for caretaking, mentoring and stewardship within the family and beyond. It Takes a Vision The Iroquois Confederation is a great model of stewardship and vision. They were known as the "League of Peace and Power," a union of Native Americans consisting of six nations established some say as early as 1142, complete with a constitution that brought a vision of peace to the squabbling tribes, enabling them to become one of the strongest forces in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century northeastern North America. Together, the men and women of the Iroquois Confederation held equal position, and if any leader failed to comply with the wishes of the women and the stewadship principle as cited in their Great Law of Peace, they could be demoted by the mothers and returned to private life. What is the difference between the caretaking of our famiy and that of our village, nation, planet — beyond the obvious? Without a vision of stretching beyond our immediacy, we are just sleepwalking, drifting along on old belief systems or a sense of separateness. We're letting others create that vision for us. The main theme for this new century is not just 'Green' as it relates to energy, buildings and products. Its about Consciousness and Collaboration. Its having a vision of consciously taking care, regardless of what. Its teaching the next generations how to take care. As we progress further into this new century, we will need to continually and more strongly embrace this theme. Why not start today? Join together to collaborate. Reach out — perhaps to just a handful of people, perhaps to 5 or 6 other families, just as the Iroquois. Create a vision of stewardship together for your community be it geographic, educational, spiritual, or however it is you define your community and identify your common goals. Mothers and Fathers all. You know how development goes. It takes time. Its not always pretty, nor easy, nor perfect. I celebrate you as parents. And I celebrate your caretaking capabilities. We can all stretch these skills to include others. Share our capabilities experience. Together, we are the ones who will leave that legacy. Let us know about your collaborations and your vision. |
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