Tag Archive for 'SuperForester John'

Jackson’s Journal (1/3/10) – A SuperForest Funeral For Grandpa John!

jackson published on January 3, 2010 in superforest journal and zeitgeist. 8 Comments Tags: , , , .

Gooooood Morning SuperForest!

On Monday we had a funeral for my grandfather, SuperForester John. It was the first funeral I’ve ever gone to, and it was great fun! Allow me to share…

The shindig was held on the Hanalei pier, in gorgeous Hanalei Bay.
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screen-shot-2010-01-03-at-93246-am(image via flickr user bluespf42)

We all gathered at the end of the pier, where a small table had been set up. On the table were laid out flowers, pictures of SuperForester John, his ashes (held in their temporary container), and a large American flag.

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First my mother said a few words about the wonderful man her dad had been, short and sweet. Then, as Grandpa had been in the Navy, a military guard came to fire a volley of shots to honor him.

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These cats were all retired armed forces guys. They travel from island to island as volunteers. They fired a few shots into the air, and then a bugler played Taps. I’ve always loved Taps, and hearing it performed by a solitary bugler on the end of the pier as we all stood in quiet reflection was incredible.

After taps was played, two more military cats folded the American flag and presented it to my mother with a few words on honor and sacrifice.

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Then it was time for hula! What kind of Hawaiian event, funeral or otherwise, is complete without some fine hula?

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This would have been my Grandad’s favorite bit. He was a sucker for the pretty ladies.

We had all been wearing flower leis, and to finish the event off, we broke the strings holding them together and we scattered the flowers off the end of the pier. While we were doing this, my mother sprinkled SuperForester John out onto the waves. Ashes and flowers mingled together and drifted out to sea.

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This may sound strange, but watching the ashes and flowers bobbing in the lovely Pacific made me really want to jump in and swim around.

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So I did!

“Come on in! The John is fine!” is what I said. One by one, the other four members of my family also jumped off the pier. Splash! went SuperForesters Susan, Graham, Willie, and Nile!

“Drink some!” said my mother, and I admit that I did indeed take a tiny sip of sea water. DNA met DNA again. Crazy.

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Here’s the whole wonderfully mad family, swimming around!

It was the perfect funeral. It was odd, heartfelt, fun, poignant, everything one could hope for.
I myself would like to go exactly the same way, except preferably more hula girls.

It’s all so delightfully temporary, Y’all!

Be excellent to each other :)

Love to All,

Jackson

Jackson’s Journal (12/24/09) – What I Have Learned In 3 Years of SuperForesting… (Temporary Container)

jackson published on December 24, 2009 in superforest journal and zeitgeist. 8 Comments Tags: , , , , .

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This is a picture of me and my Grandpa, SuperForester John. Rather, this is me and the box that SuperForester John’s ashes are now being housed in.

A little piece of paper on the front of the box reads:

JOHN JOSEPH SENNETT III

Born September 2, 1923 Died December 4, 2009

Age 86 years

I’ve been SuperForesting for several years now and I have learned much. I would like to share one little thing with you.

On the top of the box that my Grandpa’s remains now rest in, written in the plastic are the words “Temporary Container”

That sums it up perfectly to me.

Temporary Container.

My body, this life, this situation, my status as SuperForester Jackson, my youth, my brain… These are all just temporary containers. All that I am and have been and hope and dream will one day be gone. But a good idea can last a long time. I can use the time I have to share my ideas, in the hopes that the good ones will outlive me.

I have used SuperForest as a catalogue of uplifting thoughts and ideas, and when I am feeling down, or uninspired, a visit to good ol’ SF cheers me up, surprises me, teaches me something new, gladdens my heart. My goal has been to have SuperForest grow and multiply, so that everyone can feel that way I do inside. (Joy and inspiration are in short supply.) With enough good ideas on the net, we can overcome any obstacle.

I am but a temporary container, and while I am here (temporarily) I will spill gladness and joy like a pitcher of water.

I have come to terms with the fact that I am an infinite consciousness housed in a finite container, and while I’m not totally sold on dying, I have made peace with the fact that it will one day happen. I will use every day to smile and be glad and to learn, and to share that gladness and the lessons learned.

Not because I expect to have an impact, simply out of the joy of sharing with humans as fabulous as yourselves!

One day I will die, until then I will be happy.

I will dance and sing. Create art and share it. Fall into and out of love. Learn from those that would teach and teach those that would learn. Create ideas and share them with the world to see which ones live on outside of me. Communicate peace and joy and love. Work for equal rights and justice. Communicate abundance. These are my goals.

I used to get down on myself for not being able to craft magic words that would fix everything. That was sort of a dead end. Instead of that, I am going to focus on being happy, and communicating happiness.

There is a world of abundance all around me. I will use it to make art. I am so grateful for this opportunity.

Thank you, SuperForest, for the opportunity to share these thoughts and feelings. Thank you for reading these words and this site. Thank you for thinking that the ideas here are worthy of your attention.

Thank you to everyone who has ever commented on a post. Thank you for every email I’ve gotten from SuperForesters around the world. I have yet to get a nasty or unpleasant email about the work that goes on here at SF.

Thank you to Team SuperForest! For the continual surprises! For the growth and learning! For the interrobang! For the energy that you contribute to this project! I am humbled by your generosity and greatness. Thank you for being you.

And especially thank you to SuperForester Carla, who leadership and giving have inspired me endlessly. Carla, you are a source of strength when I feel weak, and you are the rock when I am the frothy sea. Thank you for your abundant love and energy.

Thank you to my lovely family, in your temporary containers, everywhere.

Love to All,

SFJ

:)