Kanan Jarrus, The Last Padawan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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fandomhigh2019-05-06 07:10 am
uncertain_dume) wrote in fandomhigh2019-05-06 07:10 am
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Tao of a Silly Old Bear, Monday, Period Two
Today's class was told to meet outside, to take advantage of the decent weather, and were given directions to meet at the park. Kanan was standing in the shade under one of the larger trees, not far from the pond, and was smiling a little to himself. This was introduction week. However else he might have felt about having a philosophy class shunted off on him, he was generally pretty confident in his ability to do introductions without having to worry about too much disaster.
"Hey, folks," he greeted, nodding at his class. "Welcome to... this class about Taoism." A pause. "And occasional stuffed bears. Most of you have already had a class with me before," he nodded to the students in question, "but for those of you who haven't, I'm Kanan Jarrus. Please, just call me Kanan. I'm not a professor, I'm a guy who flipped through a book and spent a few minutes contemplating what's in it, and now I'm passing it to you."
Yes, he was absolutely holding up his copy of the book in question, a well-read paperback with a cream-colored cover with a red border, the picture of a little yellow bear flying a kite on the front.
"For this workshop, we're going to discuss the Earth philosophy of Taoism. I'm not certain if any of you recognize the bear on the cover of the book, but... yeah, we're gonna talk a little bit about him, too, if only because the adventures of this children's storybook character pose very convenient parallels to the topic in question. So if you're in this class just to hear me say phrases like, 'Silly willy nilly old bear,' and 'Oh, bother,' you might not even be disappointed." He shrugged. "This week, though, we're not going to touch much on the bear in question. This week is a week for explaining Taoism in broad strokes, so that you have some idea of what you've just gotten yourself into. Taoism is, at its core, a philosophy that emphasizes doing what comes natural, following the guidance and flow of a cosmic force that flows through all things. Binds them and releases them."
... Yeah, it had caught his attention for possibly obvious reasons, if you knew anything about his upbringing at all.
"So, this term, we're going to do a lot of that. Going with the flow. Not trying to force things to be what they aren't, but rather, trying to accept and work with them as they are. And, since this is the first week of classes, going with the flow means introductions." Kanan grinned faintly. "Names, why you took this class, and, if you feel so inclined, share with us some aspect of your own personal philosophy or your first impressions of Taoism, based on today's lecture."
"Hey, folks," he greeted, nodding at his class. "Welcome to... this class about Taoism." A pause. "And occasional stuffed bears. Most of you have already had a class with me before," he nodded to the students in question, "but for those of you who haven't, I'm Kanan Jarrus. Please, just call me Kanan. I'm not a professor, I'm a guy who flipped through a book and spent a few minutes contemplating what's in it, and now I'm passing it to you."
Yes, he was absolutely holding up his copy of the book in question, a well-read paperback with a cream-colored cover with a red border, the picture of a little yellow bear flying a kite on the front.
"For this workshop, we're going to discuss the Earth philosophy of Taoism. I'm not certain if any of you recognize the bear on the cover of the book, but... yeah, we're gonna talk a little bit about him, too, if only because the adventures of this children's storybook character pose very convenient parallels to the topic in question. So if you're in this class just to hear me say phrases like, 'Silly willy nilly old bear,' and 'Oh, bother,' you might not even be disappointed." He shrugged. "This week, though, we're not going to touch much on the bear in question. This week is a week for explaining Taoism in broad strokes, so that you have some idea of what you've just gotten yourself into. Taoism is, at its core, a philosophy that emphasizes doing what comes natural, following the guidance and flow of a cosmic force that flows through all things. Binds them and releases them."
... Yeah, it had caught his attention for possibly obvious reasons, if you knew anything about his upbringing at all.
"So, this term, we're going to do a lot of that. Going with the flow. Not trying to force things to be what they aren't, but rather, trying to accept and work with them as they are. And, since this is the first week of classes, going with the flow means introductions." Kanan grinned faintly. "Names, why you took this class, and, if you feel so inclined, share with us some aspect of your own personal philosophy or your first impressions of Taoism, based on today's lecture."
Re: Introductions!
Delirium giggled and wiped her face. "Oh. Um. Hi? I'm Delirium. Um. I like the Hundred Acre Woods. It's a nice place. The Silly Old Bear and his friends all make space for the sad donkey even when he's floating in rivers on his back and they're always nice to him even when he's sad because they don't want him to be sad but they know that's just how he is so they let him be how he is without making him feel bad or that he should be something he's not and they love him anyway just exactly how he is. And that's Taoism."
Beat.
"Oh! And this is Barnabas."
Barnabas inclined his head, "Hello. I am the Lady Delirium's service dog."
Re: Introductions!
"A pleasure to have you here, Delirium, Barnabas," Kanan said, nodding to each in turn. "And yeah, that's going to be pretty much a whole class on its own. We might drop sticks into a river that day, I haven't decided yet."
There was a thoughtful pause, and then he added, "You already seem to have a pretty good handle on what this class is about."
Re: Introductions!
Re: Introductions!
"This is a very squishy bear," Kanan agreed, grinning faintly.
Re: Introductions!
Re: Introductions!
And that would be Kanan, blinking, and then tilting his head, and... clearing his throat awkwardly.
"I've had a squishy moment or two," he allowed.
Awkwardly.