A Shell of Promises

Notes from The Halls of Freedom : VII

To anyone familiar with the ocean, sea shells denote a certain connection with the outer garment of something. The shell denotes the mere frame, like a human skeleton or an old house that is dilapidated. The inquiry rises sometimes regarding its resident within, a creature much like a child on land whose senses are opening to the world for the first time.

 

Students of the classics will recall Venus rising from the shell of a clam. Vishnu is reported to identify with the conch. In the mind of the child there's a motion, undetected by the passions, of a rudimentary logical system that may identify home, school, friends, teacher, subjects as being important without any passion support. A young person simply learns how to do and then may return to understand the why later.

 

The experience grows into adolescence and is subtly precise as to observations and memories of events. It observes them and brings that to other faculties for the natural curiousity that it generates. It is introduced to names that it identifies with, form and then the action of that form. It follows that practice with an intimation as to whether it is favourable to its passions, liking and disliking.

 

This is undertaken with a subtle intensity that arouses the interest and enthusiasm of the growing child. It is a considerable instrument in the child's experience where it can toss a pebble of inquiry into it and get a response. It does this frequently and may also transfer the inquiries to their parents regarding people's behavior, ' why is the sky blue,' why they must eat their vegetables and so forth.

 

In the teen years, this develops into a sophisticated system of inquiry and knowledge-suggestion of its experiences. A child listening to rap music for the first time is likely to sense the inquiry, ' its full of curiousity, isn't it?' or ' its a brave talk back to older people?'  or ' its such an independent attitude?'

 

In time the inquiry serves as a base of contact with others and forms the shell of an understanding about their lives and of the world. To sustain their social involvement, the individual in such an experience would have to practice a persistent broadcast of its inquiry-knowledge. It is the contact it has at the passion level with the physical environment. The experience is a little like the waves on the beach, incessant and repetitive.

 

What would anyone say of such a person? That she was sweet, loving, sensitive and highly prone to activity? Or would they simply say they loved her?