Braiding Sweetgrass Reflection 

by Lauren Baker

I found this reading remarkably beautiful and inspiring. However, I must recognize that I am a member of a certain kind of audience, and heavily agree with everything discussed in this chapter. I was born and raised in the United States, and I consider myself a patriotic person. I say this because I appreciate my country for various reasons. I appreciate that we seek to find liberty and justice for all. I appreciate my right to speak freely and pursue happiness as I see fit. I appreciate the democracy we have. And I appreciate the fact that I live in a country that allows me to also be critical. The things I have just described are things I am grateful for. This chapter powerfully emphasizes the importance of having gratitude. I truly wonder how many American are grateful?

The pledge itself, which I respect because of what I believe/want it to stand for, certainly invites criticism. We are supposed to be a nation that is free thinking, yet we pledge our allegiance to an institution made by men? The contrast between the pledge and the Thanksgiving is astounding. The Thanksgiving is a celebration and encouragement of interdependency of all creation, while the pledge seems to encourage full dependency and blind loyalty to something that is really just a concept. It brings to mind JFK's words, "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." It's a curious thought- it reminds me of something that I have observed in American culture, which is a huge sense of entitlement.

This is exemplified in many instances; I find that it really comes down to a distinction between man-made ideas and the natural world. For example, the Thanksgiving thanks the fish for "giving themselves" to the people. And it offers the idea that we as humans owe respect to the fish and the animals, as we work in a cycle. In America, I find that we see the animals as inferior the humans, and therefore, we can senselessly slaughter them. Because we can. Because we decided that the animals simply belong to us. Because it's all about what we want, right? 

 I find it funny that religion seems to play such a role in the founding of this nation, as there is clearly a huge operation between any kind of spirituality in this country and politics. Why are so many laws- both official and unspoken, cultural moral codes of conduct- so based upon aspects of the bible? Are these man made ideas that we have been conditioned to follow? From what I have studied of the bible and other religions, gratitude is an essential principle to.  Is that something practiced in this country?

I wonder if this infatuation with the pursuit of happiness affects our culture, and creates this experience of entitlement that I mentioned earlier. This country is great because in theory, you should be able to do anything you dream of doing. Yet the obsession with pursuing happiness is very centered around the self, because often times this means success and money. The pledge of allegiance does not thank anyone or anything- it does not honor the flag for what it stands for, it simply states loyalty. The Thanksgiving finds happiness from the idea that we have enough- there is so much to be thankful for. We are all working together as a collective society of people, animals, plants, and earth. 

I fully agree that many of the world's issues could be resolved if gratitude could be a bigger part of our life. I think there is an undeniable spirituality in this, and I think it requires much more of people. I fear that the US has become so focused on technological advancement and general "improvement"- in every way- that we are losing more of what makes us human beings every day. I wish that the two sides could talk- spirituality/religion and technology/political institutions. I feel that the Thanksgiving provides a beautiful and hopeful example of how a society might function more peacefully, and I wish that we could adopt this principle of gratitude.