Sunday, September 26, 2010

Quest September Block - Cornerstone

Class is back in session! I recently finished my first block (class) of the 2010-2011 academic year at Quest University Canada. During the month of september I had the privilege of studying our 'Cornerstone' class with Dr. Megan (long e) Bulloch. The theme of the class is human's and nature, AND how the stories that define "our" culture define our perceptions and behaviours to "our" environment. ("our" being collectively and culturally, or as a country, community, family or individual)
Cornerstone was an amazing course! Hands down the best class I have taken at Quest so far. I am going to post some of my assignments from the class - mainly the 5 discussion questions I wrote. They are fairly short and "sweet"(as in to the point!) that provoke the reader to think a little bit about their actions as a human in nature.
I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!
Peace, love and laughter y'all!

Writing Assignment #3 - My Most Treasured Possession

My most treasured possession is my family. Not that I can actually possess them, however my life would not be the same without them. Through the challenges and adventures I have encountered so far in my life I have come to realize it is the experiences, and the people who help define the memories, that make life truly rich. Investing in my family, whether they are part of my lineage, or connected to me through the bonds of friendship, will continue to be my best “financial” decision. Family, in its simplicity, does not require any monetary commitments. The investment required is purely emotional. Emotional investments come with their own set of risks; however, the benefits I continually receive from my family far outweigh any benefits an inanimate object could ever provide.

We have become a society obsessed with buying things, yet these objects will never replace our connection to other human beings. Objects are purely objects. The only life they have is the one we give them. Cars, bikes and motor vehicles get old, rusty and eventually fall apart. Trinkets take up space on a shelf gathering dust. And, clothing hangs in a closet - in one season and out the next. Family has life a life of its own. The individuals that make up your family help make the stories of your lifetime. Yet, just like cars, trinkets, and clothing if we don’t make time to nurture the relationship, the connections will get rusty, fall apart and eventually discarded. The memories will last, yet they will sit upon a shelf collecting dust. And, plans for the future will drift to the back of your mind just waiting to become an actual experience. Family takes effort, but you will find that what you put into the relationship will equal what you take away.

As I moved past the superficial ties to inanimate objects, and into the marrow of life I repeatedly find my family as the source off all that I cherish. My family has supported me through the hard times, celebrated me in the good, and allowed me to do the same in return. Hard times would be a lot harder without the support of family. Similarly, successful ventures would not mean as much if not shared amongst loved ones. With the help of my family, I have been creating an emotional tapestry of memories as vibrant as a rainbow in the sky after a thunderstorm. I will cherish these memories, experiences and people until the day I die - a day I welcome, in due time, because I know that I will live an amazing life because I choose to cherish family and experiences over possessions.