Monday, May 21, 2012

Ubuntu



Today, as most mornings, I am feeling my children away from my side. I have been so fortunate in being able to home school them during their early formative years. Together we have traveled the entire length of Route 66 and Route 10, from Oregon to Southern Florida, with many stops along the way to learn about science, history, the arts, geography and the wonders of our beautiful country. We have played music and danced, cooked dinners and read bedtime stories, gone air boating and “hunted” alligators (well, ok, we really just sit in the Everglades and observe these magnificent creatures). 


But now, the time has come for my children to begin their formal education and I am blessed to have found just the perfect school for them. Every morning, they eagerly set off for adventure. And every afternoon, the drive home is a happy cacophony of breathless stories of the day’s exciting events. I know they love this next stage of their lives. Still, it’s hard to be without my babies.


It’s become clear to me just how much of my daily life is totally dedicated to my family. The job of “Mom” is easily the most important and satisfying one I’ve known. I have established and run my own dance school, been an underwater commercial gold miner (routinely moving boulders the size of cars), operated specification labs for the rock crushing division of a construction company, become a master harvester of the blue green algae known as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and, for over 17 years, successfully run the company that brings this amazing food to the world. 


No small potatoes, right? Still, the title of Mom tops them all. And without family, life would be a sad shadow of itself.
But my family extends far beyond my home. I treasure my E3Live family in Klamath Falls, Oregon, my friends, near and far, and the people I may never meet, who share our marvelous food with others all around the world. 


As I was reflecting on these thoughts, I happened upon a story of an anthropologist who proposed a game to the children in an African tribe. He put a basket full of food near a tree and told the children that the first to reach the tree would win the sweet fruits.  When he gave the signal to go, the children all linked hands and ran, reaching the tree at the same time and sharing the prize. He found this odd and asked why they had run together, rather than compete with each other. And they said, “Ubuntu. How can one of us be happy if the others are sad?”
And then I knew what I wanted to do. This blog is me, reaching out my hand and linking it with yours. Let’s run together, learn together, laugh together and help each other to make this world a better place for ourselves and for our children. I know that true happiness comes from within, and that what we feed our bodies and minds has everything to do with how we experience the world. 


Here, we will share our stories and ideas for clean, healthful eating, as well as insights and observations on life in general. Please join me. This is our place.
Ubuntu: “I am what I am because of who we all are.”
In humble spirit,
Tamera

4 comments:

  1. Hi Tamera,
    This is by far the most humbling blog I have ever read! I truly take my hat off to you! This is exactly how I feel, the laughing, sharing, learning & growing together 1 step & 1 day at a time!
    Please never stop doing what you are doing, I love your sense of positiveness, the world needs that!
    From one mom to another :)

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  2. Thank you so much! We are truly all in this together. :)

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  3. Dear Tamera,
    Truly I am so happy to see the postings on your new blog. What a great way to now keep more connected. So wonderful to learn more about your children and know the feelings you are experiencing quite well. Alas, our kids begin to go out of our homes more and more as they grow older, one of the most beautiful things is that we can truly enjoy each step of their journey, if we so chose. You have always been a great mom and what further awaits you with them is simply precious.

    Namaste,
    Anna

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  4. So nice to hear from you and thank you, Anna. It is surely a journey and I am enjoying and loving every moment... the fun times and the trials that children bring. They make me grow spiritually, emotionally and mentally. I consider it a full time education!

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