It is in dying that
we are born again to eternal life.
“Death is not
extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has
come.” Rabindranath Tagore
As a young adult, I was blessed to
have been in the presence of Dr. Jonas Salk, discoverer of the polio vaccine.
Dr. Salk spoke about the necessity of living our lives according to the
question, “Am I a good ancestor?” In the same way that Native American tribes
speak reverently about their ancestors, we must live our lives in such a way
that, generations from now, our children’s children will refer to us as their
ancestors, with reverence and honor.
Some of the most beautiful moments
of my life are filled with that multi-dimensional, multi-sensory experience of
being surrounded by my ancestors, my Spirits – the voices in my head guiding me
to a decision; the sensations I feel when I walk into a familiar setting. I
remember childhood afternoons after school with my Mother whenever I smell bread
baking. I sometimes catch a whiff of my father’s Aqua Velva after shave, or
hear the sound of my grandfather’s tobacco spittoon, or dream of the sight of
the newspaper cartoons lining the ceiling of my Grandma Sanchez’ attic bedroom,
or remember my Uncle Demosthenes when I hear certain classical music. All of my
loved ones who have passed into the realm of death – my ancestors – have left
an everlasting impression on practically everything I do. They are not just
memories – although the memories, too, are powerful and everlasting. They are
actual visits from Spirit, for which I try to keep myself open and receptive.
These are visits from my ancestors, reminding me of their presence with the
guiding light of dawn.
Am I a good ancestor? I will never
actually know, but this I do know: I carry the Spirit of my ancestors in me, as
they teach me the wisdom of the ages. They never actually died; they were born
again in me and live forever in the wisdom I will carry within my own legacy as
I become an ancestor.
No comments:
Post a Comment