My Conversations With Canadians (Essais Series Book 4)

by Lee Maracle

We do not have forgiveness as a recurring theme in our culture. If you hurt someone, own it, look at yourself, track where it came from, learn from it and make it right, continue to learn from it, continue to deepen your understanding, and grow from it. If you are the transgressed, look at how it made you feel, inventory how you behave, and transform yourself—do not let the transgressions of others damage your authentic self. If you were hurt, look at the impact and effect of the hurt on you and make it right inside so that later you will not pass on the hurt to those who are innocent.

Our freedom can be found only through the joy of relationship-building, the call out to the earth, its living beings, and the joy of receiving the support we need and the joy of carrying out our responsibilities to all. Children understand this. They have just left the spirit world and know something about the magic of earth. They run about, learning from bugs and animals and collecting stones as though they were sacred, no matter what race they are. Indigenous people encourage these beliefs and practices of toddlers, while education destroys it. All humans who are alive are being held up in this way. All engagement is a moment of sharing, every morsel of food a moment of sharing from earth to us and back. This engagement addresses the aloneness that all humans feel and many of us fear. It appeases our sense of “just me,” which is the seat of greed.