How did I come to be here?

EWR: ...Speaking of questions, it occurs to me that the question "why am I here?" leads to an infinitude of possible answers, none of which are necessarily truer than another. Perhaps the question is too grandiose, it tends to evoke a ponderous response of almost biblical proportion, as if we have been anointed by some cosmic force with a special destiny to move mountains or part the seas. 

So I am prompted to consider a more modest question, which I owe in large part to a mentor of mine, Francis Weller, who raised my awareness on this matter. The question is "How did I come to be here?". 

The answer is much more tangible: I am here because my ancestors came before me and did the things that led to my birth. They lived and toiled and hoped and took risks and procreated and nourished and gave of themselves so that their offspring, of which I am one, could live and, if all goes well, flourish. 

So let us honor and give thanks to our ancestors, without whom we would not be able to contemplate a hero's journey or any kind of journey or adventure and let us learn from their legacies, even if we have to imagine them!

JW: YES! Years ago on a shaman retreat, I asked what the word "ancestors" meant. Did it mean just DNA lineage? His answer was a bit obscure but my understanding of it was that it included all that had made me who I am. DNA, culture, geography, history, family stories, art, music, literature, nature, religion and so on. Honoring our ancestors can help us feel more connected, more a part of the Universe.

How do we do this?

EWR I built a shrine at the grief retreat. But for me, it's important not to  go too quickly to the all-inclusive notion of ancestry. Given the increasing complexity of the archeological evidence, it may not be the case that we are all descended from some primordial Adam and Eve - there may be different stands derived from different sources. 

My reach goes back about two centuries, beyond that records get scarce and the connections less certain. Still, for our purposes, that may be far enough. I have photos and family bible listings of some of these people, so they are tangible to me, I can imagine them living and breathing and going about their lives.