One of the best museums I have ever been to is the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.
From the design of the building, to the theater, to the cafe. Everything was done to illustrate and communicate some ideas of indigenous peoples to the modern thinking visitor. The entire experience was touching.
I have always had a profound and unexplained interest in Native Americans as a child. These feelings I have always had returned to me. I had forgotten my interest.
The indigenous peoples of this country are a national treasure and we as a nation can learn a tremendous amount from them. We can learn to appreciate the human place in this world. From the perspective of the environment and how we relate to and support each other. The truth in what we are lacking in terms of community and a sense of place were apparent to me, both in the message from a film and the museum as a whole.
I watched a very well done movie entitled, “A Thousand Roads”. It discussed the lives of several modern day Native Americans from various nations and the trials they faced in our society. The story talked about how we have to help each other through this life. It mentioned how “we lose ourselves from time to time, only to find ourselves again.” It mentioned many things that we don't mention. It seems to me that a spiritual sense of being, of having a place, of having a connection with the earth, of having a purpose was fundamental to the native peoples.
I think the museum's message summarized where we have come as a country and where we may need to go. We still have much to learn from the indigenous people of this land. An ongoing story...
This is where I want to play my part. By consciously spending money to support the things I value. It's really hard I think, to resist that which you desire. That which our system is based, marketing to meet the consumer's desire.
But to have something to work to support, is more valuable to me than not having to work to not support anything. An idea is a reason for being...
For a time I saw little reason in making or accumulating money. My thinking was, “Why? So I can buy a BMW someday?” I just did not see the worth in it. Now I see a reason to make money. To affect change. To improve peoples lives. To possibly make the world a better place.
