Translate

September 1, 2013

By the Hammer of Thor

Two of my best friends growing up were of Mexican heritage, and I remember being somewhat jealous of what seemed – in comparison to my bland Nordic ancestry – a rich and vibrant culture. It always felt like I was missing out on something when it came to embracing my own heritage. Not to mention the food. I would not like to live in a world that didn’t include a good mole sauce. And as far as I knew, the only culinary contribution from my people was the sugary breakfast food known as the Danish pastry. I guess you could say that I didn’t feel very connected to my ancestors.

Though as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown to appreciate my Norwegian/ Danish parts, I mean after all, my people were Vikings, and we sure did know how to party. The more I know about my heritage, the more I appreciate and have a sense of pride in what my ancestors have contributed to the world. Each and every culture can look into their past – pushing aside the dysfunction – and find gems worth feeling good about. 

This leads to this week’s message about striking balancing between honoring our heritage and not getting caught up in the stereotypical stories that have the potential to keep us constricted. Embrace where you came from, but keep open to the ever expanding mindset of the global community. In other words, let’s celebrate our diversity by sharing it with one another. And as much as I love the spicy-richness of Mexican food, I can still appreciate a Danish pastry now and then, especially with a nice touch of mole sauce.

With Love.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

From Over There:
“Within each and every one of you is genetic coding that connects you to your ancestors. This coding affects thought patterns beginning at birth and molds the way your culture interacts. This structure has been helpful in the survival of cultures, yet has created a division cross-culturally. It is through the attachment of cultural ideals that disallows growth and evolution toward more unified thought process. It is this pattern that keeps certain cultures closed off and stuck in the mindset of superiority over others. While this occurs, global harmony is not possible.

The values of the ancestors are not always necessary to hold onto for future generations since future generations will not have the same life circumstance or survival experiences as the ancestors. As the systems of survival change, so must the value systems evolve. Through global unification cultures around the planet will create ever expanding tolerance and acceptance of one another. It is not necessary to forgo the celebration of one’s culture in order to gain acceptance, it is in the celebration of one’s culture alongside the cultures of others that creates unification and harmony.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Featured Guest: Ancestry.com
 At the risk of being too commercial, if any of you want to play around with genealogy this is the easiest site I’ve played with. Not to mention that they offer a 14-day free trial. To learn more visit ancestry.com.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

If you'd like more information, to book an appointment, or check out the current class schedule, please visit molliejensen.com.


No comments:

Post a Comment