The Lesson of a Dirty Basket: I Don't Know
Posted: Sunday, October 02, 2011
by Dr. Carla Goddard
An elder woman crouched low near the open flames of the fire. Her voice crackled as she murmered words each time she added the putrid herbs from an old, dirty basket she dragged around the pit with her. The basket appeared to be as old as she was. Dirt embedded between the fibers of the weave just as dirt was embedded beneath the old woman's nails.
The elder's voice a mere whisper, "Take my basket, it is now yours."
Looking at the dirty basket with all the years of being dragged around the fire pit revealed within each weave.
The young apprentice not wishing to offend the elder, smiled and simply replied "you honor me thank you grandmother". The thoughts that raced were not so full of gratitude.
'Why would I want this old thing? It is filthy and worn.' Reaching out to take the handle of the basket, the elder women hearing the thoughts spoke again.
“Not knowing is a good start.”
'A task? She wants me to earn the right to have this tattered, old, dirty basket?' The young apprentice thoughts were of discontent, yet, still not wanting to disrespect the elder simply replied, "Yes grandmother I am listening."
The elder woman told the young apprentice to take the basket to the river's edge and fill it with water and bring it back to her where she sat at the fire's side. Without understanding the why's and knowing better than to question a task, the young apprentice grabbed the handle of the basket and quickly moved to the river to fill the basket.
Arriving back to the fire side, the young apprentice looked int he basket and then at the grandmother, realizing that by the arrival back to the fire the basket was empty. The elder woman spoke, "You must be faster if you wish the water to remain".
The apprentice ran to the river and once more filled the basket. This time moving as swift as a mountain lion back to the fire's edge. Arriving once more with an empty basket. The apprentice replied, "It is impossible grandmother".
"Try harder," was the only response.
Again, though knowing it was impossible to fill the basket with water, the young apprentice moved with feline grace to the river's edge. Looking around for a moment before reaching down to the crystal clean water to fill the basket. Suddenly, realizing that it was more of a test of spirit than a test of filling a basket. Yet, what was the test. No answers coming as the complicated mind began to scan the banks looking for an answer.
Returning the last time to the fire's edge, the young apprentice looked to the wise elder grandmother's eyes, "I do not know how to fill the basket with water grandmother."
The wise elder smiled, "Not knowing is a good start. Take the basket now it is yours."
The young apprentice looked down at the basket which now was magically transformed from the aged dirty basket to one that was clean inside and out revealing the intricate weaves and designs drawn upon the sides. It was a piece of magnifient artwork.
"You may never understand or know all, but when you simply do, you will be changed both outside and within like the basket and the Great Spirit will reveal the magnifience of your artwork to you."
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)good story, medicine woman? I don't quite feel emotion, thoughThank you Jack .... The journey as it was gifted had no emotion within in it. I usually only share the journey's with students but has recently decided to begin sharing them openly. However, I wonder if the journey as a story should be gifted the art of story telling (with emotion) or if left untouched as given to retain the integrity of the lesson? Something to consider.
mwah (my wishes are heartfelt)
Carla
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