Humanity's Evolution, Part XVII

 By Renee Hughes

I raised my hand and was pleased to see that Gershom had raised his as well. Her theory was unusual, but she wouldn't be here presenting it if there wasn't some truth in her belief. Alexandria ended up picking Gershom.

I watched as he walked to her side. Gershom's tall lanky frame towered over Alexandria's short muscular body. His intelligent eyes appraised Alexandria. She smiled at his inspection her eyes still brimming with fervor. "I believe your name is Gershom," she said to him. Gershom nodded his head. "Thank you for volunteering," she said and then turned back to the audience.

"When two Little Dragons co-create only one of us has to incorporate the fourth element, surrender, for it to happen." Alexandria explained. "The two of us will now create a tree." She then turned to her partner. "Simply do as you have always done," she said. I saw Gershom nod his head.

A gigantic silver barked tree with iridescent green and red leaves emerged in front of them. The trunk was so large that the two Little Dragons had to move around it to be seen. An almost reverent silence came over the audience at this magnificent example of what two Little Dragons can create. After getting over my own shock, I glanced at Gershom and saw he was staring in rapt fascination at the woody plant.

"Tell me Gershom," Alexandria's voice finally spoke penetrating my awe, "Is this what you pictured."

He turned to face her. "Yes and no," he admitted. Alexandria wasn't discouraged by his answer. "Tell me exactly what you envisioned," she prodded.

"Mine would have had a much smaller trunk with no red leaves but I must admit I like this one better," he said. "Why?" she asked.

Gershom turned to look at her. His brow furrowed in concentration. "I feel myself in this tree but I also feel you. It is the perfect combination of both of our ideas. I never would have been able to visualize this exact tree on my own."

Alexandria nodded her head more than satisfied with his answer. "That is the principle of surrender. It goes one step further than allowing. You essentially give the energy the power to take all of the information from those here and trust it will come up with an alternative that not only fulfills the basic goal but will combine the best qualities from everyone who participates."

"In this instance, it works if only one of us surrenders. For us to create something as large and as important as a planet all of us will have to learn this fourth principle," she explained. Gershom then returned to my side as Alexandria proceeded to teach us all how to surrender.

"When I release my energy and see it mingling with another Little Dragon's, I withdraw even further into myself. Cutting my mind off from the actual process surrendering what I am to help the whole," she said. Alexandria then wrote release, withdrawal, and cutting off the mind on the board. She then highlighted each one.

"The best way to learn these concepts is through practice. Let's create another tree but this one will be a combination of everyone's abilities," a lower murmur went through the audience at her suggestion. Could the concept of surrender be learned so easily? I glanced at Gershom who simply shrugged his shoulders. "We might as well start practicing. A tree will be easier than a planet." He had a valid point.

Alexandria raised her hands to quiet down the audience. "Don't be intimidated by this exercise. When our ancestors first harnessed their energy for creation, it was a daunting experience for them too. But through practice and perseverance they evolved into what we are today. This is just the next step."

Silence came over her audience, and I felt the stirring of creative energy all around me. It was different from the swirling colorful vortex that heralded my people's arrival to this place. That was a combination of thousands of separate energy signatures but this was a blending. My vision shifted, so I could see the delicate threads of energy we played like instruments to create. These filaments existed everywhere and were as familiar as the contours of my own body. Our thoughts caused the right ones to vibrate releasing the energy needed in a beautiful symphony of sound.

I gazed around and saw what was now our true form, glowing iridescent dragons of all colors and sizes. Here in what philosophers called the lighted garden does our energy always take this shape. The threads closest to me started vibrating blending into the chorus of others. I glanced at Alexandria's whiteboard mindful of what she wanted me to do. The energy was fully released, so I immediately withdrew into myself cutting off all expectations of what I wanted to appear. The lighted garden's melody swiftly changed. It was always breathtaking especially when there were a multitude of us in this place but this time the music took on an even deeper tenor. Goosebumps broke out all over me as I knew that we had achieved something truly spectacular.

That ends Part XVII. Next month is Part XVIII. If you have enjoyed this piece, please consider giving a donation of time or money to your favorite charity. A few worthwhile local organizations are Safe Futures, Inc., Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut and Thames Valley Council for Community Action. Together we can make a difference!