The Story of Summer Wind

The girl picked up the stone left from the great ice sheets long ago. The Mishomis (spritiual healing stone) she held was smooth and fit her small palm, as perfect as a bird in its nest. She closed her eyes and simply felt its hard gentleness. She knew she could not let it stay on the beach alone. It belonged to her. Just as she now belonged to this Mishomis.

Her grandfather was far behind her. He walked slowly. Now she could run swiftly. As she looked at his shape approach she remembered how hard it was to keep up with his long strides when she was smaller. "Why did life change so much?" she wondered. "Why can’t he run like me, now? We will never be able to walk side by side again," she thought.

"I’ll wait for you Grandfather," she called to him, holding the stone tightly in her fist. She sat down on the warm sand and listened to the waves’ rhythm of the Universe. With her Mishomis, Summer Wind began to draw pictures of birds, the sun, of floweres and fish in the sand. All around her were pictures of the treasures in her heart.

"Ah ho, Summer Wind, I see you have kept your Mishomis busy remembering the things of the past," her grandfather smiled as he neared her sand drawings. "Tell me, what is that you do not know how to draw?"

Summer Wind squinted up toward the Sun and thought long and hard. "I really do know most of what there is to know," she thought. "I know the world around me, I can even take care of the babies back at the village."

Remembering howshe waited for him, she said, "Well, I do not understand, Grandfather, why it is you must grow old."
Her grandfather smiled at her question and sat down. Calling her over to him, she watched as his weathered finger drew a big circle in the sand. "Good. It is my turn to wait for you, as you try to understand."

He pointed to the East side on his circle and traced it gently with his finger. "This is where you entered the world, Summer Wind, and see how you have grown to the South. But, I am lucky, I have traveled the path you now take and have even experienced the West direction." His fingers traced the hoop with tenderness and at each direction, memories of years gone by filled his heart, and blazed through his eyes. "Soon it will be my turn to enter the North direction which leads to the Great Mystery."

Summer Wind looked up at her grandfather. His face smiled deep wrinkles. "He is happy to be old," she thought. Summer Wind had known of the Four Directions all her life. Still, right then, sitting with her grandfather on the sand, the directions came alive. Summer Wind and her grandfather were the directions, there on the sand. But still to grow old, frightened and saddened Summer Wind.

"North is the greatest door to pass through, an honor and part of the cycle of life. Without old age, there is no Sacred Hoop. Without death there can be no life," he said, as though reading her thoughts.

"But there is more to the wheel of life for you to learn." Grandfather traced the Four Directions through the Great Circle. "Notice how the wheel is balanced. Remember your mind, your body, your feelings, and your spirit, Summer Wind. Each is part of you, like the directions of the wheel. Remember to keep it all in balance."

Then he touched the very top of the circle. "This, my sweet child, is the past. "Touching the very bottom, he continued, "This is the future. Only give your attention to the past and future during the sunrise and the sunset, for that is the time to remember and plan. The sun helps us remember our mistakes from the day gone by, and then helps us to set our own sun trail for life." His large hand rested in the center of the circle. Then patting the warm sand he continued, "This is the day. Here is where you must train your mind, body, spirit and emotions. Live most of your time here, in the now, for that is all you really have."

The smiling man then pointed to the East saying, "This is for play. Connect to this child even when you are old and white, like me, " he said gently tugging her thick braid.

Moving to the south direction he said, "This is about the inside of you. Focus on your Self to grow and become. Never lose sight of your uniqueness."

Then to the West. "This is for work. Work to contribute. Work for balance."

Grandfather slowly pointed north and added, "And this is for others. Give to others the gifts you are given. Think of the WE, rather than the ME."

"Balance all these, and you will live to smile when the North Door approaches, for you will have lived well. You will have lived your own full life."
"But what about my drawings? Where do they belong?" the girl asked, looking behind her where she had sketched.

"Ah, they belong alongside you on the hoop, just as you drew them. For you travel life together."

"And what about the Great Spirit, Grandfather? Where does the Great Spirit sit?"

"Where do you think?" he asked instead.

Without a word, Summer Wind kissed her Mishomis goodbye and gently placed it in the center of the wheel, knowing they would find each other again. Together, the girl and the grandfather walked side-by-side bach through their footprints in the sand.