April 8 Daily Feast, Elder's Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

April 8 - Daily Feast

Peace of mind is better than gold and just as precious. But unlike gold, peace comes when we ask for it and let it happen - not when we go in search of it. We look for a time to be peaceful. But what may seem to be a waste of time can be just what we need - a spot of sunlight, soft breezes, the sound of locusts humming in the night. The little things calm us and bring us rest. But the best comes when we release our hold on little cares, the voices that tell us how bad things are in the world - and just let peace seep in. Nothing so becomes us as stillness and quiet serenity. Nothing so aptly furnishes the background music like sounds of nature, the mockingbird's midnight song that expands our boundaries and enchants our hearts.

~ We are a part of the earth, and the earth is part of us. ~

SEATTLE

'A Cherokee Feast of Days', by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Elder's Meditation of the Day - April 8

"The very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to [my people's] footsteps than to yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch."

Chief Sealth, DUWAMISH

If you respect something, it will respect you back. If your ancestors respected something, the future generations will be respected back. The Indian ancestors always showed great respect for the Earth. That's why the Earth is so respectful to Indians today. Every Indian naturally feels connectedness to the Earth. We know the Earth holds our ancestors. If we continue to respect Mother Earth, our children will benefit and so will our grandchildren. Today, we should think about and pray for our Mother Earth.

Grandmother, let me have strong feelings for our Earth today.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

There are two words in every day life that mean more toward perfecting that life than any other thing. Those two words are the basis for every action. They are "personal responsibility".

Daniel Webster once wrote that the most important thought he ever had was that of his individual responsibility to God. It was his personal responsibility.

No matter how understanding other may be, how kind, and tolerant, there comes a time when we cannot ask, nor expect to receive, help in our struggle. There are simply times when other people cannot cover for our poor performance. It soon becomes time for us to stand on our own feet, express our own feelings, and search out our own beliefs.

Others can run interference for us, make excuses for us, and guess at our feelings. But we don't begin to live until we've accepted our personal responsibilities. We must learn to express truth in everything from showing our love to voting in an election.

Life is one personal responsibility after another. Shifting it to another's shoulders loses some of the most important steps. Failure to recognize it is folly; ignoring it is stupidity; and accepting it is to find more truth and more strength than was ever imagined or expected.