Bear Bait

The reason I started writing was to set an example for my daughters. Two years ago, while she was in first grade, my oldest daughter began writing multi-page stories. I believe in parenting by example and so to encourage her I decided to start writing as well.

Evolved began with a kernel of an idea: “What if inorganic chemical elements were opportunities to enhance life?” I really had no idea whether it would last a paragraph, a page, a chapter or more. Well, a year later I had a novel-length manuscript that I’ve been editing and re-writing ever since.

The good news is my oldest continues to love to write and my youngest, who just finished first grade, now does as well. They both use it as a way to process their thoughts and feelings, a wonderful outlet for their active, curious and sometimes confused minds.

With that, I offer my oldest daughter’s latest story about our black lab, Fleuri. The story is set at our cottage, which is five miles out on a lake, surrounded by boreal forest. Fleuri doesn’t really like riding in the boat, so we leave her in the cottage when we go into town. The first time we left her she voiced her concern, which Isabael turned into a story. (We now leave the radio on when we leave, which calms her)

BEAR BAIT

A STORY FROM FLEURI’S POINT OF VIEW

Written by Isabael McKay (Age 8)

I hear the boat rumble from the dock.

My people are leaving me! What a shock.

Why can’t I go to town to shop?

Shop for goods like dog food and treats.

Treats! A rumble and gurgle from down below.

But, the boat is leaving without me!

I howl for help! Yelp Yelp!

“Good bye,” they call, “Be a good girl,” “We’ll be back home soon!”

Why, oh why do they leave me alone!?

Up on the couch to see where they go.

No, no!  They left me her for BEAR BAIT!

No no don’t go away!

Yelp! Yelp!

This couch is quite comfy and fit for me and now I can see!  See out the window!

Out the window I hear a distant growl.

I howl again.  But this time I know they are gone.

Will they every come back?  I don’t think so.

I lay on the couch and make myself small, eventually falling asleep.

The tap of a woodpecker wakes me. I look out the window.

Several boats go by but ignore my worries.

Soon so soon I hear the familiar whooshing of the waves,

the rumble of the motor as it slows.

My people are back from their stroll in town.

Oh look! My food, food and more food!

Glorious, wonderful food!

Terrific, mouth watering food!

And treats! Oh my!

Uh oh! They caught me on the couch!

Eagle Eye Shared

The path that led me to write Evolved began firmly in science and logic, studying the properties of chemical elements, space time structures, and neurology. It eventually led me to something I called the “Real” in the book as I dove into psychology, specifically the subconscious. It was only at the end that I felt I had missed something in the series of objects I had logically patterned out. Eventually I was guided to Richard Rohr, a Franciscan monk, who explained what I had wrote completely.

To be clear, I believe Christianity is merely one path we can follow to find the “Real.” Most other religions, spirituality and even science also seek to guide one to the same truth. However, our ego gets in our way and every faith or mindful effort focuses on different aspects. In designing the symbol for Evolved, I wanted most faiths and even mindful thinkers to see meaning. After all, the ancient Greeks touched on deeper truths in their math and science discoveries.

This morning I received the weekly summation of Richard Rohr’s writings. “Shared Identity” speaks to what I touched on in “Eagle Eyes Penetrate.” The following is an excerpt:

“Francis spent much of his time praying in solitude in nature. He practiced contemplation, or ‘a long loving look at the real,’ which allowed him to see in a new way. Seeing from a pair of glasses beyond our own is what I call ‘participative seeing.’ This is the new self that can say excitedly with Paul, ‘I live no longer, not ‘I’ but it is Christ now living in me’ (Galatians 2:20). In the truest sense, I am that which I am seeking. This primal communion communicates spaciousness, joy, and a quiet contentment. It is not anxious, because the essential gap between me and everything else has already been overcome. I am at home in a sacred and benevolent universe, and I do not need to prove myself to anybody, nor do I need to be ‘right,’ nor do others have to agree with me.”

– Richard Rohr

Eagle Eyes Penetrate

Everyone does it. “Knows something” and conveniently rationalizes that something into an inconsequential object in our mind. The sun is bright, the oceans vast, the universe infinite. Simple neat objects in our mind. It is only when we’re confronted with an unfiltered view of the sun, swim in hurricane churned surf, or watch the northern lights dance over distant galaxies that we begin to touch the deeper power surrounding us. Objects in our mind become real, threatening, perhaps liberating…

This year we have the good fortune of new neighbors. A family of bald eagles built a nest on the back side of the property. Even better, apparently our lawn and dock is the runway leading to the nest, supplying endless gasps and wonder as they sweep past through our grove of white pines. When they are hungry we marvel as their talons appears, their wings stretch behind their back, and they drop from the sky to grab a fish.

I’ve “known” that bald eagles are big beautifully graceful birds of prey. Yet, until the girls and I had two fly just over our heads as they squawked like sick seagulls at each other, they were simply objects to me. We went and looked at their nest a few times today, the eagle perched staring down at us nonchalantly. Looking into a wild animal’s eyes you see something else, something that connects you in this reality. The world, and all its power, became that much more real today.

Standing on Giants

Over the summer I plan to go through my sources of inspiration for Evolved. This is partly for my own benefit as I refresh my understanding of various theories. It is also to recognize the brilliant minds that have transformed my life over the past few years. Finally, it will help you understand the road I have traveled to date, and how I arrived at this point.

The path started innocently enough with the thought, “What if humans could adapt to non-organic elements and unlock new capabilities?” This initial idea quickly swept me into chemistry, neurology and psychology, followed almost immediately by cosmology and particle physics. Quantum mechanics and time philosophy took some time to wrap my head around, but boning up on general relativity helped me to understand at least the basics. I’ve always enjoyed moral philosophical debates like “sacrificing the many for the few,” as well as arguments around free will and determinism. One book on chance I read at least five times before it clicked.

When the second draft of the manuscript was complete I took a step back and thought, “there is something more to this.” After showing the draft to a minister at my church, I was blown away that the world I had created was explained almost perfectly by spiritual teaching. Not only that, but Christian, Judaism, and Buddhism belief systems all seemed to explain the supra conscious element I had developed, especially Native American spirituality. Ancient Greek philosophy suddenly sprang into relevance for me. It became clear my mind was wrestling with deeper questions than I had recognized. This realization has been transforming me, urging me on to deeper understandings in all the areas mentioned above.

It has been very cool to go into science and emerge out of spirit. Hope you enjoy the ride.