First Thoughts

From my hotel in the heart of bustling Vancouver, B.C., I look out the window and see where it all began. The story is told, first, in the sandstone and basalt cliffs of sacred land that is now called Stanley Park. In them, one observes layer upon layer of geological history dating back to the time when this piece of earth was thrust up from the sea. Beneath the cliffs, stretching into the rich coastal waters, are rocks that tell the story of aboriginal people who were the first to settle in this corner of North America. The wall formed by these rocks served as an ingenious trap for the many species of fish that sustained those first people throughout the year. Beside them today are the beautifully manicured gardens of Stanley Park. The story they tell is of a new wave of settlers from the British Isles who came here centuries later with a desire to tame this land and the people that it nourished. Walking among the flowers on this beautiful Spring day are people as diverse as all the colors and geneses that have been carefully planted. In these present day city dwellers, one observes layers of local human history that are too numerous to count. However, when I think about how they have managed to coexist, despite centuries of conflicting interests and ideals, the metaphor of layers disappears. Instead, I marvel at how the roots of all these people have become intertwined,causing them to grow together into a garden that is beautiful to behold. And, if that is true for communities, it is also true for individuals. At an art museum not far from Stanley Park, curators have put together an exhibit called “Beat Nation” that reflects a generation of artists who juxtapose urban youth culture and hip hop with Aboriginal identity. The poster for the exhibit (pictured above) made me wonder what each of our pictures would look like if they could reflect the many layers of who we are, or, better yet, the garden that we have become.