Breaking the pinata

Shannon never took history for granted. She's the daughter who always was
asking questions about missing people and parts in the stories she heard.

What if one of the wise men was actually a woman? Couldn't Minnehaha have carried Hiawatha across the creek instead of the other way around? Those are just a few of the questions I remember her asking as she was growing
up.

I was thinking of Shannon's questions the other day during a discussion about
teaching history. One model is based is based on the idea that history is the
story of wars. According to this view, history is a series of great big guys who
win battles and topple civilizations. That's certainly one view.

But it's not the only one. The author of the Chalice and the Blade suggests an alternative view. She suggests building a history based on peace. Rianne Eisler says that if one really looks carefully at past history, there are plenty of examples of societies living peacefully.

Further, she says the war-dominated model excludes many people and groups. A peace-based model of history is more egalitarian and includes many of the stories left out of the other model.

I have a friend who would say that Eisler is a great example of what he called
"pinata-busters." Jose Burciaga came up with this phrase to describe people who
break down the walls of old ideas. They take the risks so all of us can see better.

Perhaps that's one of the things we're supposed to be learning in social work -- how to ourselves be pinata-busters. Perhaps we are here to practice breaking down those walls which can divide us.

History is a good place to start. The way we describe our past plays a big role in the way we imagine our future. If we take a bigger, wider view of our past, Eisler says we will see that it was more peaceful and more inclusive than we have been taught in the recent past. That's not only good news for now, but also a great source of hope for a better future

With a broader view of history, questions like those Shannon asked would be answered differently. We would be able to say: Why, yes, of course, there were wise women. Let me tell you some of their stories.

Walk in the park, shop locally

DOWN THE hall from a classroom where I am teaching this semester is a poster
which lists 100 ideas under the heading "How to build community." Seeing that
poster has gotten me thinking about additional ways to sustain and renew the
communities in which we live. I came up with seven ideas:

1. Walk around your block.
A long time ago, I had a neighbor who would walk around the block almost every
evening around 10 pm. She and her husband -- and their two dogs -- would circle
the block. That's how they got to know the comings and goings of everyone. We
called her "the mayor" of the block because of this accumulated knowledge. Now,
as the weather starts to warm up, is a great time to start doing this on your block.

2. Shop at locally-owned stores.
These are the businesses which add stability and personality to our community.
All over town there are delightful businesses waiting to be discovered. Take an
afternoon to explore what's out there.

3. Do something with your block.
It could be as simple as planning a similar seasonal decoration for every door.
Or it could be as elaborate as organizing a progressive dinner.

4. Introduce yourself to a new neighbor.
Invite them over to see you or take them out for coffee. You might even consider
reviving the almost lost art of welcoming them with a hot dish or dessert.

5. Ride the bus.
If you drive your car all the time, you're missing a slice of our town. A bus
ride -- even on a free downtown shuttle -- will introduce you to people you
would otherwise never meet. Don't have bus service in your community? Consider
taking on the assignment to change that.

6. Acknowledge young people.
When I talk with young people, they often ask me why adults move away from them
at street corners and bus stops. There's a gap there which you can help bridge.
Young people want to be recognized, so take a moment to say hi the next time you
pass a teenager.

7. Go to the park.
There's nothing like a stroll through one of the city parks to restore one's
sanity. Every community has at least one. Many have several -- one for whatever
mood you might be in.

I'm sure you have many other ideas for building community. Send them along and
they'll be shared with other readers. Or post them at the Coffee and Community
weblog: http://coffeeandcommunity.blogspot.com.