I have dark hair, dark complexion, black eyes and thought the Native American genes were strongest and most prominent. Now, my cousin tells me he had some sort of analysis and most of his genes show he is of IRISH descent. Okay, this shows up through the male side. Our fathers were brothers. Somehow, this surprise has me wondering.
We all probably have some presupposed notion of what a group of people looks like. None of us in our family "look" Irish. Maybe I ought to change my stereotypical thinking. ??? So, now I should get a button?
People often ask if I am of Native American descent. Yes, on maternal and paternal sides. So, what does this newfound information do for my self-image? Nothing? I never participate in pow wows. I don't identify with Native Americans in a special way or anything. I don't feel a particular "Indian" pull towards nature. (Okay, a friend said that about her own feelings toward nature because she wants to be an Indian.)
In all the living in the Ukraine, Germany, and France, countries that various ancestors are reported to have dwelt in and passed through, where did the Irishman come from?
It is like an old habit of thoughts that I must break. (Actually, I am still looking for a loophole on this Indian/Irish issue.) Isn't that the way with life?--just when you have it all figured out, something happens to break your concentration, to jolt your consciousness, to change your concept of who you are and where you came from.
So many habits are like that. When we realize the truth of the matter, it should be easy to accept the truth. But, we are not that way most of the time. For instance--We are complicit in the ravishing of the earth. Why? We all know better. We know what we should do and don't many times.
YOUR TURN
Why do we continue to do what we know is self-destructive? Do you still buy bottled water? Do you still get plastic bags at the grocery and elsewhere? Do you ever feel a twinge of remorse for continuing to do that which you know you should not do? Do you have any old habits that are destructive to the earth, expensive, habits you have trouble breaking? Did you ever think to try a bit more parsimony?
Happy St. Pats Day. I think you look like what is referred to as "Black Irish" with a tinge of Native American. My hubs is Irish and my kids sort of look it, one is as dark as you (with Irish eyes and cheekbones:)
ReplyDeleteI keep forgetting to take my cloth bags to the store. I feel awful about it! We live on the third floor of our building so emptying the cloth bags and taking them right back to the car isn't appealing. We leave them hanging by the door and then don't look at the spot where they hang as we leave! I have to break myself of that habit!
I try to be as green as I can, but I still have my faults, that's for sure. The one habit I'm trying to get rid of now is plastic trash that can't be recycled, mostly when we have the occasional convenience or fast food.
ReplyDeleteIf everyone on the earth did a halfway job of being green, we would already have less problems. The problem is that most people do absolutely nothing toward being green.
ReplyDelete