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Wisdom of Elders

"There is a dignity about the social intercourse of old Indians which reminds me of a stroll through a winter forest" - Frederick Remington. I like winter, the snow, the cold, and the beauty that winter brings. It has a sense of wonder, of renewal, of a freshness for me. It also brings with its beauty an element of danger, of a wisdom and strength that needs to be respected. If we do not respects its strength, we can suffer at its hand. When I respect winter, I can enjoy her beauty and appreciate the life she brings. Remington's words tell of a respect and honor for the wisdom of the Elders, from a non-Native who found a peace in the presence and lives of the old Indians he encountered. We have become a people who forget the wisdom of the Elders, who want to keep up with the worlds pace and not take the time to be in the greatness of those who walked before us. Being who we are is knowing where we came from, practicing the ways of our ancestors, and listening to the s

The sound of dissention

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I wasn't able to watch the state of the union address last night, I was teaching an evening class.  I am aware of how polar we are politically these days.  In reading political commentary, many feel that we are more polarized today than we have ever been.  I see this myself as I read Facebook postings.  I don't seem to see much critical thought on either side.  I seem to see more attacks against conservative and Republican views, which might just be due to my own Facebook.  I would enjoy engaging in discussion that is well thought out, looks at facts and reality on both sides, and comes to conclusions based on reality versus political bias and emotions.  I've been reading the book of Genesis, chapters 30 and 31 today, the story of Jacob and Laban, and Jacob's wives, Leah and Rachel, sisters in birth. So much jealousy, so much manipulation, so much deceit, all within the structure of a family.  It made me realize, again, that what we are seeing politically is