Day 63 - Jaime Fiddler

The other day as I left my downtown campus, I was greeted pair of Canadian geese that lives at our college. Actually, I was more scolded than greeted, but it still felt like a warm reunion. The return of these ornery downtown geese who make their yearly nest on one of our patios was proof that spring is here. And despite their concrete surroundings, these geese haven’t forgotten who they are, or where their home is.

A few days later another sign of spring arrived when I spotted a groggy sowbug making its way across my kitchen floor. The garden of our 1912 home is full of creatures that are excellent composters. They wake reliably each spring and start transforming decaying materials into nourishment for the next round of vegetables and flowers. In that moment, I realized that no matter what else is happening in the world, the sow bugs have not forgotten who they are, and they have not forgotten their responsibilities.

For us humans though, it’s not hard to get off-track. At times I am swallowed up by this tension-filled moment in history, and I do forget. So when I saw that sow bug, and thought about those geese who know that this is their home not ours, I was prompted to think about what I should be remembering. What do I believe humans are here for? What are our responsibilities? I wondered if answering that question might  help guide my thoughts out of despair and towards more hopeful action. I share some of my reflections in this poem: 
 
We are here

We are here to wonder and be in awe of the beauty and complexity of the natural world around us.

We are here to learn from each other and to take turns guiding each other through this life on earth.

We are here to create and be creative – to tell stories and sing songs and paint the pictures that explore and share the depths of our hearts.

We are here to laugh, to be playful, and joyful.

We are here to love each other, and to create friendships and families, like those geese downtown.

We are here to transform all that no longer serves us into nourishment for something new, like those sow bugs.

We are here to steward this world into the hands and hearts of future generations, to ensure it is a world in which they can thrive.
 
Let’s remember who we are together, and that is still possible and necessary for us to do our work, despite those whose actions reveal how much they have forgotten.

Jaime Fiddler
Calgary, Alberta