THE LEMMING FAMILY TRADITION

By John Maerz BA LMT

     Lisa and Larry Lemming were coming of age. They had raised their family as everyone else had. They had worked all their life for the better good of lemmings everywhere to support the traditions of gathering with all other lemmings for the great exodus off the cliff to fall the great distance to the rocks below in the Great Sacrifice. It had always been that way as far back as anyone could remember. All his life Larry had known that this time would come. His parents had done so, their parents had done so and all the generations before. It was tradition. It was what they knew. After all, if the Creator had not designed it so, would He let all lemmings fall to their death in the great sacrifice? Yet, Larry was still puzzled. He had always questioned things. Why this? Why that?  His parents had always responded that this was they way it was. It was expected that all lemmings would participate. Yet something continued to gnaw at Larry. There must be a greater purpose for the Great Sacrifice that I'm not seeing, Larry thought. Why would everyone just kill themselves in an act that accomplished nothing useful?

     Larry went to the elders and religious leaders of his tribe and asked his questions. "That is what the Creator wants," they exclaimed in surprise at Larry's unexpected question. "We must do what the Creator wishes."

     Larry was still not satisfied. Who said that that was what the Creator wished? He went to the royal board of tribal leaders, the wisest men in the land and said," Why must this be so?"

     With great indignance they proclaimed, "Who are you, a lowly lemming, to assume to upset the order of things? This is the way it has always been and shall always be. We have sworn to uphold this public trust. This is the way that the Creator wants it. It says so in the scriptures! If you continue in this manner we shall be forced to banish you from our tribe."

     Larry went home with great consternation. "Lisa," he said," we cannot allow this to happen. It is a waste."

     Lisa said," Ssshhh. Don't let the children hear you. What will they think? You've already embarrassed us in front of our neighbors and friends. If you continue in this manner I shall have to take the children and go home to my family. I don't want them to know I'm married to a mad man!"

     Larry said,” I have to know. What is the purpose of this?"

     Lisa said,” That’s it! I'm leaving. You know where you can find me when you come to your senses!"

     So, Lisa left taking the children with her. For many days Larry thought long and hard. He meditated deeply on the uselessness of their sacrifice, the tribe's traditions and their teachings and expectations. One day he understood. Everyone followed the traditions because they were afraid of being different. They were afraid of not knowing what to do differently. They were afraid of not knowing how to treat people differently who didn't follow the traditions. Why must he follow a tradition that "leads us not into temptation?" he thought. Why must he not grow and experience new experiences? For what? Why must he pursue life for what seems to be a useless waste that ends in a Great Sacrifice? Why? It makes no sense. If he follows the traditions, he is already dead to what he might become before he approaches the age of sacrifice.

     It was this day that Larry understood. To follow his own sense of spirit, practicality and honor is to be a creator. He would be alone. Others would not understand. Many would be afraid. Many would be jealous. Still more would be angry. Yet, he had decided. It was this day that Larry had decided that he would become a creator.