(don't always pick the first to raise their hand!)
I overheard one of the other educators repeating the line
from the organizations continuously updated program training manual
while cleaning up and reviewing the day
my first of this season
after the buses had pulled away.
I'm pretty sure it has been in the manual with context and explanation all along
to give the organization its unique qualities character identity spirit soul.
I understand the reasoning and agree with the approach
sometimes I struggle with aspect and application
my personal abilities and the immediate situational response.
This season I identified with the excited hand in the air
obvious awkward
enthusiastic responder who feels unrecognized.
I naturally feel an immediacy to question-answer ritualized activity and the truthfulness of it.
Life as quiz -game-puzzle
As a child unaware of the objective of moderating group activity
I would feel that something
disingenuous was taking place
with the interaction and exchange
of engagement and attention
of appreciation and respect
Teachers-students- classes -schooling seemed to involve mind reading
Tuning in or tuning out to the expressions of other individuals' thoughts
Understanding being the goal of sincere compassionate communication,
Influence being the goal of that other non-poetic human manipulation tool.
Meanings Minds Memorys Motivations Multiplying Magical Metaphors
The patterns reproduced as framework of control over the environment of experience.
I began the season especially sensitive to all this teacher - student - class -school- feeling
having enrolled in a computer platform myself and My Son's finishing up at Bard.
The graduation ceremony held under a very large series of tall tents would not accept the gathered attendees until the required amount of time had passed since the last lightning event taking place.
The picturesque drama of the Hudson River School crossing with a dark dense thunderhead creeping out and over the storm front pushing through the Catskills
A place and time with company dreamlike profound and with purpose
conductive environment for commencement ceremony
atmospheric activity
electric discharge
anticipated down pour
waiting for the start
tension
pressure
The Institutions campus grounds had its origin as a seminary turned co-ed liberal college
Its president was once the youngest and now may be the oldest continuous sitting
This was not My Alma Mater where my druid thing started
This was the place my buddy Bill talked about in Jersey City post college nostalgia as
We made regular seasonal ritual
Sacred opportunity for worship
Sacrifice for the Earth Mother and many others
what you might call Green Man Grove ADF
presumably a proto priesthood period for my person
My Wife -mother of the graduate was not part of any vision that I had received early on,
connected to prayers answered and sacred ritual since midsummer of ninety-nine
Grove organizer of Our Whole Grove protogrove ADF the whole time
she was driving the car-had packed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies, snacks, water and umbrellas
The back seat carried special guests, old friends,
the god father Frank - wearing my dad's jacket was unfamiliar with the school
My best man Lee worked played lived there and abouts - in his youth
knowing a place filled up with places with spaces and places of their own
All voluntary relationships of mutual learning sharing and appreciation
People I have partied and played with
prayed with
Worked with struggled with
This Life Experience as perceived and pondered
personal peer perceptual projectors protectors proponents
Ritual Ceremony 2hours late 4 hours long,
Lots of Latin, packed in a crowd with uncomfortable chairs unreasonably close with the best view of the back of the persons head sitting in front of you.
Funny because who ever sat behind me... saw me/knows me from the vantage point I am most unaware.
Observing the accomplishments of the many devoted and hard working souls
students structured and presented in parade viewed live or at an odd angle on wide screen above.
I got through it with the good company assembled
My buddy Bill joining as we lined up to enter the tents slipping in and out of familiar ground/space.
My Wifes peanut butter and jelly keeping me from falling off my chair on to the guest of another graduate..
Eventually it was over,
The regimented formality of order
to give the organization its unique qualities character identity spirit soul.
From the perspective of My son and his peers
The last week was a mirror of their first week with the campus to themselves.
4 years later
It ends with your class dressing up in ritual garb
lining up and waiting for your name to be called
to be recognized
after waiting your turn
and learning your place
with the characteristic imprint of that group bond/brand
moderated group activity/ experience
something
was taking place
with the interaction and exchange
of engagement and attention
of appreciation and respect
Meanings Minds Memorys Motivations Multiplying Magical Metaphors
The patterns reproduced as framework of control over the environment of experience.
