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It has been a long time since this
the prior Post! Nothing has waned in the passion I have for
the North American Indian and their story here. I have traveled no less
across the land they once lived... running distances... collecting Their trace.
Our interpretation of time, and what we do inside it, is always so
relative. For this moment; while I have a good moment; I will share
the following reflections on the Nomadic... which People we are. I
begin with a great quote by Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux Chief
“Conversation was never begun at once, nor in
a hurried manner. No one was quick with a question, no matter how important,
and no one was pressed for an answer. A pause giving time for thought was the
truly courteous way of beginning and conducting a conversation. Silence was
meaningful with the Lakota, and his granting a space of silence to the
speech-maker and his own moment of silence before talking was done in the
practice of true politeness and regard for the rule that, thought comes before
speech.”
When
one considers the vast tribes of People who made up the Majority Race here in North America, so many reflections flood the heart. The
first place to begin in any of them is humility in our humanity. To
accept our own frailty... if we can. No man alone is truly
strong. As the Sioux have said, "I have seen in any great
undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon
himself." But do we in this postmodern, American material culture,
have the capacity to be vulnerable? To accept others and lift them up? To
seek out their skill sets and join in the celebration of every
individual?
The reality of dependence on others strengths
was never considered a weakness in one of the strongest races in
human history... the North American Indian. The essence of their
lives was clearly a covenant devoted to the protection and wellness of
others. Although many were indeed stoic, magnificent in self-denial...
even Warriors, it would seem this mindset betters any human being for selfless
sacrifice and the love of others. Consider D.H. Lawrence's words...
I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a
branch
without ever having felt sorry for itself.
I shall always be a priest of love.
Without making this too long, it all
seems clear in life that the best foundations are self-denial... with the
intention of making it better for others. No self-pity. Long
distance running is like this, the lives of the North American Indians were
like this and the best people to love are like this. The conditioning of
our spirits, our minds and our bodies are for the ability to make others
richer within and without. If we consider conditioning ourselves,
for ourselves, we will only stand alone. I will close with an ageless Indian quote... Their eloquence far exceeds my
own.
"Love
is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon
it, we must have it because, without it we become weak and faint. Without love
our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love, we can no
longer look out confidently at the world. With love, we are creative. With
love, we march tirelessly. With love, and with love alone, we are able to
sacrifice for others." ~
Chief Dan George, Geswanouth Slahoot (1899-1981)
