Pilgrims on this Planet

It is just as sunny here today as it was in the Dominican Republic last week. Temperature is a fair bit different however! 

I had a great holiday - very refreshing and restful. I needed that. One of the best things about travelling in my mind is talking to the people from the area I visit. We had many laughs with locals comparing Canada and the DR. Mostly about the huge contrast in our respective country's size and - of course - weather (it seems you can't be Canadian and not talk about the weather!)  I love describing snow to someone who has never seen it. I love to tell them about the experience of walking across a frozen lake, and skiing in fresh snow. And I enjoy hearing what they love about their country.

When we share stories of our homes we connect from the heart. We connect with others at a very human level. We are talking about those things and people that make life precious. We realize that we are all pilgrims together on this planet, stewards of creation and intrinsically connected with each other. We are members of the same human family. 

This became very clear to me last night when the study group discussed Chapter 6 Granting Forgiveness in The Book of Forgiving. I quote: 

"All modern humans are related to what scientists call Mitochondrial Eve; this refers to our common matrilineal ancestor. She lived approximately two hundred thousand years ago, and depending on how you estimate the length of a generation, we are only five to ten thousand generations from one another. To put it another way, each of us is a cousin of one another at most ten thousand times removed, And yes, Mitochondrial Eve lived in Africa, so in a very real way we are all Africans, which - given the racist propaganda that has been put froward for so long in many parts of the world - is a bit ironic, don't you think?"
                Desmond and Mpho Tutu The Book of Forgiving p.126
 
Something to think about as we move through Lent, journeying together as people of God.