Week 2 Reflection: Planting Sweetgrass Name__Alexandra Guerrero
- What is your favorite quote from this section and why is this so memorable to you (100 word minimum).
My favorite quote from the book is, “We say that humans have the least experience with how to live and thus the most to learn – we must look to our teachers among the other species for guidance.” I feel a connection with this quote because, throughout life in the world, people have said that we need to learn from animals and understand them, and if we just did that, we would learn so much as people.
2. What does reciprocity look like in your culture? Provide specific examples (150 word minimum)
I come from a Latin background. I see reciprocity in many ways in my culture, exchanging food for help, and I thank them. Food in my culture is essential, and we value the time it takes to cook the food. I have personally helped my community as a translator for parents and teachers, and I never ask for anything in return, but they value the help I offer. They often give me food, which shows that they are truly thankful. I also view it as a love language in my culture because people want to express gratitude for something you’ve done, but they may not have the means or time, so they prepare a homemade meal to feed the heart.
3. This section begins with the following quote, ““Sweetgrass is best planted not by seed, but by putting roots directly in the ground. Thus the plant is passed from hand to earth to hand across years and generations. Its favored habitat is sunny, well-watered meadows. It thrives on disturbed edges.” What does this mean to you? (150 word minimum).
I think that, in a way, it describes humans; we live all over the world with different climates, but no matter where we are, we always manage to survive. Throughout history, and in various parts of the world, we have found ways to improve our way of living in different places. And you can see it through our generation and our technological innovation. Still, for specificity, I think it’s the seed of life in what we teach our future generations, whether that be to open our eyes, be thankful, or to respect one another. That also includes the culture and history of our institutions, as well as how we arrived at our current state. What has changed, and what are we going to do? Is it in the best interest of all? That’s my question.
4. Specifically, in “The Offering”, Kimmerer discusses how we focus our attention. What are ways in which you choose to focus your attention and are you happy with these choices? (100 word minimum)
Recently, I have focused on listening to my body to determine if I need to eat more or exercise. I’ve also prioritized not spending so much time on my phone for my mental health. I choose to focus my attention on not overthinking life, telling myself to take it one step at a time. Recently, I had a family member pass away, so through my grieving time, I have learned to take a moment and be grateful for what I have: a home, parents, brothers, food, and friends.