In light of recent events, I’ve come to realize how precious life is, and I feel like there’s no better place to come to this realization than with the Native Americans in New Mexico. Through every interaction, they’ve stressed how important life is, and how every moment is precious, and must be lived in balance with nature. The Native American’s believe that death is the soul’s journey back to Mother Earth, the source that gives us life. They don’t like to talk about death or bad memories, but they commemorate the dead through sacred traditions that have been practiced for hundreds of years. We’ve had the amazing experiences of visiting sacred and historical Native American sites, and also the opportunities to interact with the native people, who have all been so friendly, welcoming, and responsive to our questions. Although their lives were uprooted by the practices of colonizers not long ago, the Native American’s have created new life, where they flourish and still manage to keep age-old traditions alive. I have been so inspired by the strength of these people, to completely start over and lead such fulfilling lives, and hope that I can bring this strength and resilience back to New Jersey with me. I hope that after this trip, each of us will remember how lucky we are to be gifted with all that we have, and will take with us the lessons (of strength, and reverence for each day of life) that we learned here in New Mexico.
-Sophie
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