storytime

Dennis was following our walking today as he has been for the last several days. He walks with us when he can – but organizing this beast takes a lot of his time so we don't get to spen d a lot of time with him out on the trail (although I can tell you that I've walked next to and in back of him on a couple of occasions, and I can only hope to move that fast when I'm 75).
We were joined today at our lunch stop by a Council of Grandmothers from Landers, CA. One of the women walked with us in the morning – and a few others met us at the rest stop. They couldn't have been sweeter.
We were supposed to have stayed there one night, at their land, but our crazy schedule didn't allow for it anymore (boo-hoo!).
Anyway, Dennis told us a couple of stories during lunch. I'll tell them for you here. One is an old folk tale; the other a true story (who knows, they're probably both true).

A young boy was visiting his ailing grandfather. The old man was very frail, very fragile. He had lived a long, long time and was coming near the end of his life on this Earth. The boy had always loved listening to his grandfather tell stories of the old days – and learned many things from those long talks by the fire.
As the boy arrived at his grandfather's house he saw that he was sitting in a chair by the fire. “Boy,” the grandfather called out in a soft voice, “please fnd me a blanket – I've gotten cold here by the fire and I have no blanket here to warm me.”
The boy searched the house, but could find nothing to cover the old man, who had recently given all his possessions away in the custom of his people when a life is near ended. The boy then went to the barn and found an old, worn horse blanket. He took the blanket and cut it in half – and went to the old man to cover him.
Upon returning home, the boy's father asked what he had in his hand and the young one told him about his grandfather needing to keep warm,
“Son, you should have given your elder the entire blanket.”
“But Father, then what will I have to cover you?”

Dennis said, “This is an old story we have told each other for 1000 years to understand respect and honoring for ones elders and I tell it here now in front of this council of Grandmothers in appreciation to them. Here's another one – and this is a true story that happened down in Apache country many years ago:”

The government wanted to build houses on the Apache reservation. They were apartment kind of houses, all stuffed together. The Apache, having lived free in the wide open space of their land – didn't want such houses built for them and told the government so. They were built anyway and the Apache people were told that this is where they now must live.
The Medicine Man was very troubled and so he went up to the mountains to pray. He sat in the sacred circle and he prayed very deeply for a long time. He fell asleep – and then he heard a voice saying to him, “what are you doing here?”
The medicine man opened his eyes and saw that a snake had slithered into the circle.
The elder talked to the snake and told him the story of the government buildiings.
The snake said, “you're people have always honored our ways, we will help you.”
The medicine man began to pray again. And again he fell asleep and was woken by a voice saying, “what are you doing here?”
This time, when he opened his eyes, he saw that a mouse had creeped into the circle.
“Brother Mouse,” the man began and told him the story of the housing that was being forced upon his people.”
The Mouse replied, “your people have always been good to us and honored our ways, we will help you.”
Soon, there was a Grand Opening of the Apache Housing Project. Dignitaries were there, including Hubert Humphrey, the Vice President. While the ribbon was being cut and the dignitaries led into the houses, the Apache people stayed away – not wanting to be part of the ceremony.
Suddenly, a woman screamed, and then a man yelled out, and another! In each of the houses that were being viewed, snakes and mice were found inside the new apartment buildings.
To this day, no one has ever lived in that housing project – they sit there – ugly and unused. I tell this story to remind you that when we respect all living things, when we honor them..when we ask our Creator for help and when we are sincere – we will be helped. I also tell this story for you who are on this walk as we head into the desert. We honor all living things – so if you are scared of snakes and scorpions – remember to honor their ways and let them be – and they will let you be – do not hurt them in any fashion – that is our belief and we expect you to honor that.

Thanks Dennis.