Disclaimers: I do not own Star Trek or its
universe we are just borrowing it for a moment to amuse ourselves. This piece
is intended to honor a great man who has passed over
and a great fictional one as well. I hope it manages to do that in a small way.
This is also my answer to if Amanda be accepted at such a celebration.
Summary: A journal entry about the Celebration of Surak and what it means to a
certain Human wife and mother.
Rating: G
Celebration of Surak and the Renewal.
Amanda's Journal star date
2260
I have been on Vulcan for two years now. Today, however, was a very
special day. For the first time I think I understand what it is to be truly
Vulcan. Today is the 23rd day of Talsiman, the day
Surak was killed. It is the one day all of Vulcan stops. Yes something can stop
Vulcan. I did not believe it at first myself.
Amanda paused and chewed on her pen, deep in thought.
It is not a holiday in the sense that we
would celebrate Christmas or New Year's Day. It is more then taking a moment to
reflect on the life of a great Vulcan. It is said that Surak is the Father of
Vulcan wisdom and logic. There is no real human equivalent to this Vulcan
legend.
On Earth the closest I could compare it to Is Martin
Luther King Jr's birthday. We all stop to reflect how
that great man helped heal a divided human race in one country. Yes, he became
a symbol of wisdom for the world, but Surak was more than even that greatness.
Leaning forward, she paused trying to find the words.
I am almost afraid words are not
sufficient to explain Surak. Martin
Luther King Jr. stirred emotions of pride, love and respect. He showed us
our humanity, the unity of the human soul and spirit as encompassing all the
positive emotions humans have. He was about dreams of a better future. He
showed us the human soul's potential for good. These things we learned and we can
express them emotionally to honor him as man who had
a dream and then shared it with us all.
Surak on the other hand demanded the
shedding of emotion. He took a war-ravaged, angry people and taught them the
brilliance of a still soul. Logic and not emotion was the tool he used to tame
the Vulcan beast. Do not misunderstand me in this. I love Vulcan and it has become
my home. I can think of no greater place to live and raise my year-old son
Spock. His father Sarek has been my rock and my joy. Together they are my world. Yet in all this
time I do not think I understood the philosophy of these great people. I
never understood how important the stillness is. Today I was allowed to attend
the ceremonies celebrating Surak. I had thought it might be a quiet service of
reflection and perhaps prayer. It had these elements but it was so very much
more. It was a drama and spectacle that,
once one witnesses it, changes you forever. I am told this full festival
pageant only takes place every seven years. It is the life cycle of Vulcan. The
time is representative of the peace of Surak.
Amanda stood up and walked around as she recalled the events she had witnessed.
Perhaps I should explain. When Surak
first began teaching his great wisdom, Vulcans were a warring people. There was
a bitter divide among the great clans. Surak came from the greatest house, the
ones who had the most wealth and power. He saw that the people suffered. He saw the corruption and the way the lands
were ruled. He chose to not take more or to force his will on others. Instead
of choosing power and glory, Surak chose the people. He began to minister to the poor and the
weak. He gathered them into his homelands, fed,
and clothed them. On his lands the refugees from the wars found a haven. He did
not distinguish between clans. His only rule was peace and service. Surak knew
that the greatest of leaders do not take but they give and serve their people.
I do not
believe he began by deciding to suppress emotion. I think he intended to teach
peace. I honestly believe he hoped to build a place of peace. Yet as the clans
came together it became clear that age-old rivalries and hate would destroy
this newly founded colony.
Legend states that two rival clansmen
began to fight over a piece of meat. Surak came between them and stopped the
fight. One youth said, "What would you have us do? Deny our emotions and
our need for food?"
Surak replied, "Yes. Use logic."
"There is not enough for us both," the youth exclaimed. "I made
the kill. The food is mine."
Surak looked at him and picked up a pot.
"If you eat only the meat then there is not enough. Yet you each have
tubers and water. Logic dictates that a soup could be made. This soup would
feed not only you and him but many others as well."
The youth bowed his head in shame and handed the food over to be made into a
soup. Surak had showed them that any problem can be logically solved and that
in serving others ones own needs can also be meet more efficiently.
At this point Surak realized that logic
and not emotions of panic and fear could be used to aid Vulcan's survival. He
would spend many years refining this logic to a form his people could accept
and understand.
It is said it took him seven years to
write the Kashara and to take its teachings to all of
the clans. It created a truce that lasted seven years until greed and hate once
more plunged Vulcan into a civil war.
Now what has this to do with the
celebration? They re-enact the play of Surak's life and his teachings. It is
not done on a simple stage but rather all of
It is
said that Vulcans have no emotions. Today I learned why they choose to set them
aside. They do so because they do love their culture and their people. I know
it sounds like a paradox but it is so pure and good. Today I became a
part of it , and I am honored.
I am at last accepted as a Vulcan. Sarek told me today IDIC was once more
renewed and reaffirmed because I am the first non-Vulcan to witness this sacred
ceremony in 5000 years. I just wish I could share it because I know it would
have the same affect on others that it did on me. I am accepted and I am at peace.
Logically this joy and understanding should be shared. I told Sarek this most
forcefully.
Sarek. however, seems to
think that it is not yet time because as he says humans need their emotions to
relate to the universe. That it is logical that some things even Vulcan must
keep for herself.
I had to meditate on this thought.
It then became clear he was right but not for that reason.
Reflecting that perhaps he is right
because I do not think anyone could or should imagine how dangerous Vulcans
would be without logic. So from today on I will thank Surak for logic even when
it drives me crazy, because I love my civilized mate and son. For had he been
born in the time before… I shutter. Perhaps it is well that Vulcan had not yet
reached warp drive capabilities. I am certain that a Vulcan without logic would
be a conquer that would make Ghengas Kahn look like a
boy scout. They would have carved out an empire that would make all the stars
shutter in fear. I am certain that even given its beauty and peace now, Surak
would agree because the Federation would fear that Vulcan could once more
become a warring people if it was known how dark Vulcan once was. Logic twisted
to destroy them. Because the Vulcan of the past is still
there wild and dangerous contained only by the peaceful meditations and the
logical minds of Vulcans.
So, logically
for the moment I can only tell my journal of the beauty that I have seen. I
would not write it down at all but someday Spock will need to understand this
celebration and perhaps it is only logical that he see that even his human
mother values Surak's wisdom and celebrates his life. We have chosen to raise
Spock as Vulcan and I hope reading this journal he will understand why. My son
will learn about my faith in the Creator and how I value it. Yet
IDIC to has its place and also, because in my mind there is no greater wisdom than
that of Surak for a Vulcan to live by.
Today Surak's life was celebrated and his
peace was renewed. Vulcan has once more embraced IDIC.
Amanda set the journal aside and sealed it shut. This one will be for Spock's eyes alone on
his eightieth birthday.