Our shared Saturday was a day where so many teachable moments collided: about assumptions ("it's going to rain all day and we'll all be soaked" - it didn't and we weren't), expecting the unexpected, being prepared, flexibility, going with the flow, serving where we saw the need, being present with process, accepting what is, and not labeling/judging experiences as good or bad.
As you likely heard, the day shifted as the wind gusts picked up, and our Washington Trail Association (WTA) partners made the difficult decision that working trailside in the forest could put our safety at risk. So, following our most important motto - Safety First - we brainstormed how to Turn Problems into Possibilities. Between WTA's ideas, Larrabee ranger Amber's input and the groups intention to serve somehow, we settled on heading to Clayton Beach to live out our Leave No Trace motto. Our mission was to use our owl eyes to find and remove litter, disperse illegal fire rings, and dismantle potentially harmful log structures.
We did all that, and along our journey we also:
* Found and marveled at fungi, camouflaged amidst the autumn leaves
* Discovered a plant mysteriously growing inside a bottle, and wondered at how it came to be and thrive in there
* Walked and talked and laughed together, the Silverwing Bats and Trilliums flowing freely between and among groups - a great connection and collaboration!
* Had an in-depth discussion about leaving one's imprint on the earth via art or writing. When is it graffiti and when is it art? What about historical graffiti, like petroglyphs? How is our behavior affected when we arrive to a place - like a driftwood fort - with lots of writing/signatures; do we feel encouraged to add our own, and is this ok? What if others are defacing a place - how does Group Think play a role in how we behave? Does it make a difference if the written on object is living, eg a growing tree, or nonliving, eg a rock or driftwood? Does the medium we utilize matter, eg. charcoal vs. ball point pen vs. spray paint vs. knife? Do we need others to tell us to do or not do something like write on nature - how does our own intuition guide us? How does our Leave No Trace motto speak to all of this? If someone does leave graffiti, how can we follow up with them without making them immediately defensive or guilt-ridden? How do we feel when we're approached with accusations?
* Rolled enthusiastically down the sand hill and clambered up on sandstone perches and long logs extending over the sea
* Had an impromptu deep discussion about materialism, consumption and happiness. A discussion of micro-trash and its effects on marine ecosystems led us down a conversational path about why we buy, the feelings of anticipation and temporary fulfillment consumption offers. But all agreed that satisfied feeling soon wears off, leading to a let down and wanting of more. One person shared statistical findings that those with enough basic needs met, plus a bit more, are happiest, while those with too little OR an over-abundance tend to be less happy and content. So, if obtaining things doesn't bring happiness, we brainstormed on what does. Girls offered the following: relationships with others, connections with animals, doing art, listening to music, being in nature, exercise, reading, good conversations, challenging oneself, creating, meditation and yoga, exploring, giving to others through service, and more. All of us agreed that these things are the heart of happiness, rather than consuming and buying (and they're all free!).
Part two of the day was an effort to further connect around the welcoming warmth of a fire. A small crew headed the short distance to Aimee's house to collect firewood (and cookie dough) then met the others at an empty campsite at Larrabee. We gathered round the fire, cookie dough circles flattening and baking over the flames, and shared another lesson, about the importance of flexibility in life. We agreed that, like today, things often don't go according to plan. How can we be receptive to what is, rather than be attached to how we think things ought to be? How can we be prepared for sudden or slow change in the path we're on, Expect the Unexpected? What mindset helps? What are healthy, and unhealthy ways to respond to change? How does being present help? Then we shared a favorite EC story of "Good, Bad, Who Knows?" about an old man in ancient China who teaches us through his response to life events that every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow.
We wrapped up this memorable service/exploration with our chosen Words of the Day: Good, Bad, Who Knows?
Enjoy two slide shows from our day! One here and the other here.
No comments:
Post a Comment