June 10, 2015

AN  ANTROPOLOGY 

AND SOCIOLOGY PRAYER

I read somewhere that it was a significant moment - a significant day - in our evolution 

as humans - when people stopped along

the road to bury our dead.

Hunters and gatherers - way, way, way

back in time would be moving along paths 

when one of our relatives from - way, way

back in time, would die and family and 

relatives were so hurt by the loss of that 

loved one - that  they would dig a grave - or find a cave - to bury a dead one.

Then they said some kind of prayer and performed some sort of a ceremony. 

People would to cry together - feel together - and then bury a loved one - and then

leave some kind of a marker at the spot 

where they buried a loved one.

The first time that happened - did those 

people still feel the loss of that loved one 

the following year - or whenever they went 

by that sacred place. Who came up with

the idea of the first calendar?

Does everyone have a marker - a calendar -

a way to rememberwhen a baby was born, 

when folks got married, when folks died?

Did they say, “You were born at the time 

of the first snow or in the hot summer or 

when the birds reappeared in the sky?

Who was the first person to say, “Mark your calendars?”

Do we all remember when we got an award - when we were recognized - when we retired - when we graduated - when our name was 

called out and everyone clapped - and folks came up to us afterwards and we were congratulated.

Do we thank God for our evolution? Do we cry when we hear about people who are not noticed - not acknowledged nor recognized.

Do we do enough to support one another - give a shout out at special moments  - that get marked in the human calendar in our brain. Amen.