Bubba

Last year I met an elder in the Aboriginal community for the first time. His name was Albert.

He shared with us a traditional teaching he had first heard around a fire when he was four years old - before residential school. Within the circle, this gentle man shared about his life while generously imparting wisdom. With no agenda and no price he sat there, happy for the company and totally vulnerable. We hung off of his every word. Later, as a group we smudged. He held the burning incense, sweet grass, and we cleansed ourselves from negativity.

I will never forget meeting this man and the teaching about family, relationships, and values.

Here we are today. Both Mark and I took Adelaide to the Parenting and Family Literacy Centre (playgroup) this morning as all of the children were receiving certificates and celebrating the end of term. It was very special. Addie's teacher shed a few tears as she handed out certificates to the children who were graduating into grade 1. Some of these children had grown up right before her eyes every morning from 9-12. She says they're all her babies, too.

One of these children has been coming with his grandmother since he was an infant.

This Macedonian grandmother is a vibrant woman whom all of the children just adore. Addie will sit on her lap for song time every now and then...on the rare occasion that it is empty. Everybody wants a cuddle from, "Bubba". This woman is an elder in our little community that meets across the road. White-haired, with wrinkles around her soft face, wearing a loose-fitting dress and orthopedic shoes...she is altogether beautiful. Every now and then she has given us advice on our vegetable garden, and once hand-knit some traditional Macedonian slippers for our Addie. She sits patiently and completes puzzles with the children. She has lived a long, full life...and is remarkably humble.

There is this part of the Bible called Proverbs. I like to read it because every line gets me thinking. I chew on them like pieces of gum. One part that I can't help visualizing is this bit - referring to Lady Wisdom (in the Message version):
At the town center she makes her speech. In the middle of the traffic she takes her stand. At the busiest corner she calls out: "Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance? Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism? Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn? About face! I can revise your life. Look, I'm ready to pour out my spirit on you; I'm ready to tell you all I know. As it is, I've called, but you've turned a deaf ear; I've reached out to you, but you've ignored me."

Today, I am interpreting this verse differently. This is where my thoughts collide: I wonder how in my own life I have done this very thing - refused to learn. When have I failed to stop and soak in the wisdom right there available to me, shouting in the street for goodness sakes. It is almost comical! When have I treated someone like Grandpa Simpson instead of like Ghandi? When have I acted like the teacher instead of the student?
Check this out: "Lady Wisdom will be your close friend, and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion. Good Sense will scout ahead for danger, Insight will keep an eye out for you. They'll keep you from making wrong turns, or following the bad directions Of those who are lost themselves and can't tell a trail from a tumbleweed, These losers who make a game of evil and throw parties to celebrate perversity, Traveling paths that go nowhere, wandering in a maze of detours and dead ends. "

That is why I pray for wisdom everyday. For me it is found in God (Father,Son, and Spirit). And fearing the Lord, or, revering Him is where I position myself to see it grow in my life. Of course there are countless ways in which God has offered me wisdom to me along the way, because He is such a good Father. I'm sure that one of these many ways is through the elders in my life.

My father, my mother, my grandparents, various teachers, mentors and so on.
I find myself asking, "Have I really honoured these people"? Have I stopped to listen to their counsel? Have I put their advice into place? Have I made time to serve them? Have I shown society that they are valuable treasures amongst us? Here comes the sweeping generalization. You ready? It seems as though we have lost sight of our elders and focused our young, trendy, fit and healthy busy-bodies. Our attitude kinda sucks.
*Upon looking at the elder abuse rates in North America for a uni project and contrasting them with those in the Aboriginal community, well, a lot can be learned from the traditions of Canada's First Peoples. *

At 25, I am the first to admit that I want to remain childlike all of my days. Simultaneously, I want to lead the full, rich, abundant life that wisdom and understanding bring. Some of that wisdom God graciously placed all around me in people. And ultimately, aren't we' aiming to have spiritual pearls to pass down to the precious next generations...to Addie... to anyone who will listen?
This means being generous with our lives like Albert, and remaining humble like Bubba.
This means that we must be careful what kind of attitude we are sowing as we are bound to reap it. This means not making fun of the elderly - those people who have been through war and great times of depression. This means purposely including them in areas such as our spiritual communities (including every age of course) and making the statement that, yes,
"we need you."

This means admitting we haven't been through it all quite yet, and really...we have got a lot to learn ;)