Greetings and Happy Midweek,
Happy New Year...we made it to 2021! And it’s a brand New Year for each and all of us - a golden opportunity to move beyond the survival of pandemic challenges which pretty much filled our 2020 into thriving (despite the fact the pandemic is still with us) through all the innovations and promise which this new year holds.
BUT, wait just a minute! In that moving forward process, let’s not lose what the past has to offer us...
Yes! I’d like to start the year using one of Global SKILLs core strategies of PROcess, encouraging myself and each of us to take some time to linger with and reflect on the experiences, lessons and connections of the past - ours and others’ - which we will then choose to value and allow to inform our 2021.
Culturally, this is something many people groups around the world do a whole lot better than us Americans! Valuing what elders have to offer, revisiting their wisdom before making decisions, exploring how what has been can inform and direct and enrich what could or will or might be, inviting history to sit on our shoulders as we look into and prepare for the future...all of these practices are ones I think can make our 2021 a much better year.
Ok, here is my moment: it comes from when I was a child and we had Japanese visitors in our home for a meal. I remember feeling in awe, having someone from such an ‘exotic’ place actually spending time with my family there in northern, suburban New Jersey. And this visitor graciously gave me a gift - from his culture, representing (in a rough hewn way) their ancient wisdom in fact (I would realize many years later). It was (and is, as I still have and treasure it!) a small hand carved figurine of an Ainu elder. That figurine was my very first, very early introduction to the world’s indigenous peoples, and the great cultural riches they have to offer us...which eventually became and has remained the focal point of my life work. How’s that for a moment of valuing the past?! (See the Global SKIILLs LINK below for more on the fascinating Ainu people and their ancient and current cultural dynamics).
How about for you - what’s just one tidbit from past wisdom or experience which you can linger with right now to inform your 2021?
Take a minute and share about that with a friend or share it here...I’ve included several really interesting and inspiring Global SKILLs LINKs (from pretty diverse sources!) below to help get you started!
Until next week,
Betsy
Global SKILLs LINKs
~ The Ainu people of Japan: https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/ainu-prejudice-pride/
~ Connecting through the value of ancient wisdom (tedx): I love this presentation is centered around a particular shell, since shells are valued, deeply rooted objects of my own past I often refer back to, which then inspires me as I look forward...
~ a sampling of elder wisdom proverbs, offered by some here in the US who care for our elders https://www.rightathome.net/blog/proverbs-sayings-old-age-wisdom
2021 - Global SKILLs:
Celebrating 40 years of Connecting, Collaborating, Cultivating Community