My family has always been drawn to the earth. We would all rather be outside than in. My sisters and I grew up hiking, camping, swimming in whitewater rivers, kayaking and sitting around campfires sharing secrets and telling stories. Campfires were magical settings which brought us closer together. Each member of our family is tethered to one another. Our lines of communication have always been open and honest. We swept nothing under the rug. Everything was discussed and resolved. Most of the time this happened when we “passed the stick.”
When “passing the stick,” whoever holds the stick has the floor. Only that person can speak about their issues, and once the stick has been passed around in all different directions, the situation is handled and the family meeting is over. Oh, how hard it is to hold your tongue until it is your turn with the stick!
Time flies by. Everyone moves in different directions. If the stick were passed around now, it would take days to catch each other up or to resolve issues, no matter how old. It’s important to check in with each other so that you can grow up together instead of apart. Our parents anchored us so that we would never drift away. Sometimes a campfire is needed to remind us of who we are now, as well as the part we play in our family.
–SJB