Life's Lessons

During our youth one tends to forget most questions have already been answered by the youth before yours, or predecessors of contiguous generations.

Often times in life we look at our natural resources and admire their presents or their beauty. In our hearts we think we have paid a tribute by our recognition and compliments.

Example: Go outside and look at a tree. (Old growth) Please look at it and ask yourself what you see. Now most will see something beautiful, something big, something that brings awe, and some will refer to it as just a tree.

If one humbles them selves, they will see the roots before the tree. I say humble for the simple reason that humbleness causes one to bow ones head. It is when one bows the head, that one will notice the roots of the tree.

Always look at the natural resources for what stories they have to offer, and what advice they have to give. Recognize the life they have endured. The very roots.

Back to our youth. Our youth is full of advice from your peers, advice from your parents, . teachers, etc.

Take all advice offered and treat such as a gift, for anything that is offered is truly a gift. Being good advice or bad advice. Sift through it and find what is a value, and then with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.

While seeking advice, remember most questions have already been answered by the youth before yours, or predecessors of contiguous generations.

For they are like the trees, they have roots. Does one take the advice from his or her peers, or does one go to the roots that have already endured?

Pick your resources by their roots, and not popularity or beauty.

No peer will ever make you strong, unless they adhere to this knowledge, and they are leading you.

One must always be the stronger, and protect the weaker, but one cannot do so without such knowledge.

One must always be the teacher of the weaker but cannot do so without this knowledge.

Where ones youth appears to be a mystery, most questions have been already answered by the one’s that already have endured.

The instant world offers many books for instant knowledge. But learning is not a gift it is a struggle. Take advantage of the living books available to you. They are your natural resources. Overtime they will disappear. For every time you loose a resource (and elder, a parent, a teacher) it is like a library burning down. A library of living books.

Lookinghawk (Lakota Sioux)

When I was a young boy of just 14 years old, I had met a very dear friend of mine I called "Stump". Stump was a elder whom I took to right away. His face was weathered like the bark of a tree ; his eyes and smile lit up when he said hello. But this is not why I called him Stump. He was a man beyond his years and a man that spoke wisdom, that if only the crowd could hear. He had the wisdom of the old growth trees and branches only a tree could boast
about. Eventually Society in all of it new age and newly manufactured knowledge had cut him down. But he was a man that had deep roots from a good soil. He was a spirit that could not be conquered. He spoke to me many times giving me talks that I could not comprehend in my confused youth. It took me many years of society and its proprietors to understand what gift of knowledge Stump was offering to me.

This is a piece of his words, or I quote Stump and one of our conversations together.

I have always understood this, especially when it comes to peoples, so I always understand it is not my place to feel much by the actions of others..
Where some might call this elder a man of foolish ways. I have always understood these words. I pray that I am not the only one.

Integrity

Student: What is Integrity?

Elder: Tell me what does it mean to you?

Student: Well honesty, morals, being nice to others, sincere, and being an
all out good person.

Elder: Name me all the things that make a good man.

Student: Well like I said, Honesty, Faithful, etc.

SILENCE

Elder: If you had something more valuable then gold and let's just say that
it is in a liquid form, where would you put it?

Student: Well I would lock it up or put is some where safe.

Elder: So you would find a container to put it in?

Student: Yes I would, but a safe container.

Elder: For this lesson let us assume we choose a barrel to place it in.

Student: Well, ok.

Elder: Would you pick any barrel?

Student: No I most certainly would not. I would inspect it make sure it was
a good barrel.

SILENCE

Elder: So you would make sure this barrel is secure and it holds its
contents, its walls are thick , its seams are secure, and its lid seals
tightly to protect your contents from being spoiled or contaminated by
outside influences? Such as rain , rust, dirt, or corrosives.?

Student: Yes I would inspect it carefully and well, examine the barrel
thoroughly.

SILENCE

Elder: Now you will see and understand that when you inspect this barrel or
container you challenge its integrity. Can it hold what you put inside it.?
You can have a cup that has a hole in it and pour honesty it in it all day
long, but it has no integrity and it will seep out.

Student: Wow! I understand. I have never had anyone explain it this way to
me.

Elder: Now lets say that this barrel or container that you chose is you, and
its contents is you soul. Look around you, there are lots of leaking barrels
out there seeping, one,s who have lost integrity.

Student: .I have never had anyone explain it this way to me. You are right,
I see these types of people every day where I walk, where I work etc.

SILENCE

Elder: Many peoples will try and challenge your integrity, they will poke,
prod, throw and stones at your container, and try to make you seep, it is up
to ones self to maintain their integrity and not allow outside influences to
be a corrosive to one's integrity.

One should only keep things in his container that make a good man anything
else one should humbly walk away from in order to maintain integrity. such
as Anger, jealousy, hate, animosity, etc.

You see if you have integrity, then its brother humble will also join you,
but if one leaves they both will leave.

Student: I understand thank you for this lesson I have learned..

SILENCE

Elder: All things in life are a gift, with the exception of learning. You
have heard my words and understand them, but learning is one of the hardest
struggles in life. Learning does not come from words or books in your
instant world. We have talked many words and you say you understand. Now it
is up to you to practice them, to truly learn them. And that will be a very
difficult task that will take you a lifetime.

Lookinghawk
Lakota Sioux

Race and language makes no difference;
The barriers are gone when persons can
come together on high spiritual levels."
-Rolling Thunder, CHEROKEE

© 1998 Lookinghawk is the author of original writings on this page. NOTE: These original writings are copyrighted and they may NOT be reproduced, distributed or displayed in any way or form. You may not circulate them or place them for the viewing public in any way. If you wish to share this poem with any other person(s), then please either share this web page address, or place a link to this web page (let me know so I may visit you)Thank you.......Shayna