Life on the Edge

If one wants to contemplate how the “Long Now” might be visualised, one need go no further than to look at this photo. During the month of June, while the sun nudges itself towards its northern most point along the horizon, the top most portion of the long evening shadow cast by the “Spiral in the Womb” passes over the pond and stops just to the right of the Ancestral Midden. After the winter solstice (June 21) it begins to move back towards the left of the photo until, six months later during the summer solstice period in December, it hovers by the Split Rock. With the Spiral representing the “future”, the Split Rock the “present” and the Ancestral Midden the “past”, the evening’s sun dial effect of the “future’s shadow” moving between the present and past, keeps the whole of the Peace Garden alive with its cyclic, clock work changes. I have always liked this slow journey of the shadow between the stones. What was a total surprise to me happened yesterday as I stood in front of the Ancestral midden while the Spiral and the setting sun were directly behind me on the far side of the pond. The shadow I cast over the midden stones was a double shadow; one from the direct rays of the sun, another from the sunlight bouncing off the mirrored, still waters of the pond. Almost eerie, yes? Rising up from the ancestral stones, the resultant shadow seems to be of an ancestral spirit wearing a chasuble or some other dark, sleeveless ecclesiastical vestment. To the right and in the raised hand of this chthonic figure is the shadowy spiral staff of the future, held firmly. I was tantalised and then became mesmerised by what I was seeing. Me, obviously “the present”, being sermonised by “the past” who is holding onto “the future”. Talk about lack of boundaries. Can you hear what I heard? Can your hear yourself being told to listen to the past to gain the wisdom in order to protect the future? Not the future of next week, but the future where your great, great, great, great grandchildren reside. Can you, at least, hear the Hallelujah Chorus?

Post Script........ After writing the above, I went over to the piano “to hum a few bars”. On top of the piano were these photos of my parents shown wearing the attire when my mother was the choir director of Detroit’s Serbian Orthodox church. Sleeveless vestments. anyone? Celestial music? I strongly believe that “in imagination is the preservation of the world”. By calling upon those who have passed before us for help and guidance, we can create a future that is not only safe from terrorism, but full of reverential gaiety and fearless enjoyment.