I am not a basement

The box was sitting on the floor in the corner of my office for months. I got used to stumbling over it.

Inside were some old family portraits connected to my father’s step-father.

My recent little victory: I finally found a distant relative who will give them a home. 

Perhaps you also are living a version of this story:

• Do you have boxes of photos or inherited items collecting in your corners or basement?

• Do you know where they pass after you?

The trick is that any story is almost always mixed; while some parts are a treasured blessing, some parts may need to be transformed. 

Here are two important ways that I relate to family items:

Building an ancestor altar. Every October I bring out many photos and programs I save from funerals. They cover the buffet in my dining room and I love spending time gazing at all their faces.

Claiming my authority. I’m not simply a basement. As a tender of family items, I care for them for the benefit of the present and future. If they are no longer of benefit, I find an honorable way to move them on.  

Celebration and Authority are two themes in the upcoming Ancestor Celebration.

The event begins with building a collective ancestor altar and this is a great opportunity to dust off important photos and tell the stories connected to them.

Dancing has a way to help life feel whole even in the midst of loss.

We will use the power of the circle to honor age and the process of becoming the oldest living generation in our families – this is valuable no matter how old you are!

I hope that I will join me in the woods for a meaningful afternoon of live music, dancing, community, and food.