In the Land of NEEN
By Binnie Tate Wilkin
Many trillions of years ago in the land of NEEN - Nothing Everything, Everywhere and Nowhere - hosts of small particles floated on air. They seemed to be asleep. For a long time they drifted and slept, until one day, out of nowhere tiny invisible bits of stardust began to grow and expand. They grew larger and larger until they began to bump into each other. Some spewed gases. Gases mixed forming fire, steam and solid rock. The particles had awakened with VIOLENCE and FURY. They collided with great force growing larger and larger. One day, the large rocks bumped and churned combining with gas, fire, air, and water until there was an explosion, a BIG BANG. Nowhere became galaxies of stars, asteroids, planets, and objects yet to be identified.
In one galaxy, a planet called earth was formed near an orb called moon and a fiery ball called sun. Nurtured by the moon and sun, the earth grew plants, animals and strange creatures called humanoids evolved. As the planet continued to boil with gas and fire deep inside, humans developed and explored earth’s surface. Their large brains caused them to wonder about life and the source of the world around them. These extraordinary creatures asked questions, searched for answers and found many. Meantime the other particles from Everywhere and Nowhere continued to explode and multiply until a universe too big to measure was formed. The universe is still expanding so widely that, today, the earth, moon and sun and all that was formed on the day of the BIG BANG are tiny particles floating in the universe - in the Land of NEEN – NOWHERE, EVERYWHERE, EVERYTHING, and NOTHING. 1
During this period of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we await moments when we can feel the energy of being together, colliding with each other physically, mentally, and socially. Sometimes feeling like “particles floating on air,” now is the time to imitate being bits of stardust. While our bodies and minds are controlled by forces unknown and hopes abound for the miracles of science to find answers and rescue us, we must live, act, read, and love. Survival depends on our ability to find socialization and a sense of community in a difficult period of separation. With concentration on our creative energies, it is possible to find joy in and with the children. Children still have the capability to view the environment and its people without prejudices yet having been superimposed. Young ones are able to celebrate the nowheres and everywheres of their fellow human beings as they begin to determine their place in the adult world.
Many of us lost perspectives of human relations in absorption with accumulating things. This period of distance from each other provides the opportunity to develop discipline, to organize our time, and to improve communication with each other. As we dispose of unnecessary things that clutter our living spaces, the practice of sharing becomes a routine part of existence.
For young families, empty days are helpful for making future plans. Perhaps those who feel confident and brave will confront issues often left to harbor and fester in minds and relationships. Experts say that the rule to employ, when attempting to discuss matters put aside, is to express feelings without making accusations. Scheduled, serious conversations could be a useful ritual to begin during this period and to continue afterwards. Planning outings together, imagining places to visit, and mapping out strategies for future travel establishes unbreakable connections.
For those of us living out our later years, being away from friends and family represents TIME LOST. Our chances for future travels are limited, but through the advances in technology the world can be explored virtually. Filling moments of loneliness with old-fashioned writing of long letters to those we care about can make lost time meaningful. Life is a BIG story filled with LITTLE stories. TELL THEM. It is never too late to start a journal - not just a record of the day but filled with thoughts, questions, and musings about life.
Having been a storyteller for more than 50 years, I believe in the power of stories. I’ve told stories to all types of audiences and often smile when remembering some of the most poignant and laughable moments:
On assignment to do storytelling at a huge Los Angeles City Street Festival, I assumed the storytelling venue would be separate from the large milling crowds. As it turned out, I was assigned to the main large platform with hundreds of people circling around the stage. Upon seeing this, I discarded the story of choice and reminded adults and children nearby of The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, which I told while many followed along. There was an enthusiastic response. One of downtown Los Angeles’ resident drunks yelled in a slurring voice,” Tell it again, tell again!” The crowd, the drunk, and I repeated the entire rhyming story. 2
…………
Over the years, responding to invitations to visit hundreds of classrooms, one of the activities added to the storytelling was called simply, “acting out the story.” After hearing the story, this process involved instant improvisation of the characters by the students. For example, in one memorable case, a fourth grade class was told The Frog Prince fairy tale. The story was reenacted several times to give more children a chance to participate. Roles were assigned by the teacher and characters were added to involve more children. One added character was the butler. It was he who opened the door to let the frog meet the princess. Several humorous responses were created by each new butler. When opening the door, one said, “Go away creep or you may end up in the soup.” Another said, “Ugh, what big eyes you have!” probably remembering the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. The teacher and I were most surprised when the person playing the butler opened the door and said, “By jove! There’s a frog out hyar.” with a very good imitation of an English accent. This was a class of inner city, African American children given a much needed opportunity to fantasize and create. Most poignant were those who wanted desperately to be the handsome prince. When on stage, all one boy said repeatedly was, “I am a handsome prince!” 3
Although this may be the time for virtual studying at home, children will crave opportunities to show their creativity and spontaneity. Share a favorite folk or fairy tale. Let the listeners act it out or ACT IT OUT WITH THEM.
Remember, stories are not just for children. Take advantage of this opportunity to think about and write personal stories, which can become a legacy. There are moments, occasions, encounters, and more in our lives which we have forgotten or have been intending to share. With a pen or pencil; a microphone and tape recorder; or our trusty computers, moments of “floating” can be used to write meaningful poems, essays, and stories that may become part of the family heritage. Stories of these times will be future history.
Time and the universe have moved the human species forward from a period when stories were etched in pictures, on rocks and on the sides of mountains. In today’s world, visiting each other in virtual space has become commonplace. Telling our stories causes “Nowhere” to become “Somewhere” and “Nothing” to become “Everything.”
My mantra for more than 50 years has been: Let a kiss and a breath of air, send my stories traveling on the wind…to touch a human spirit in distant lands... to connect with hearts and minds slowly erasing imaginary lines which separate us from each other. BTW
1. The Land of Neen was written and told by the author at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Las Vegas for a Sunday service.
2. Binnie Tate Wilkin, A Life in Storytelling (Maryland: Roman and Littlefield, 2014) p. 71-72
3. Ibid., p.34-35
Binnie Tate Wilkin is a nationally recognized professional storyteller, writer, and consultant. In October 2019, she was inducted into the California Library Association’s LIBRARIAN HALL OF FAME. During her multifaceted career, she has lectured and taught storytelling at Schools of Library and Information Science in various parts of the nation including Columbia University. Her publications include African American Librarians in the Far West, Pioneers and Trailblazers; African and African American Images in Newbery Award Winning Titles…and A Life in Storytelling all published by Roman and Littlefield/Scarecrow Press. Ms. Wilkin teaches a class on storytelling for OLLI (University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Office of Lifelong Learning), and she is on the Nevada Arts Council’s roster of performing artists.
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