NATIVE AMERICANS: Offering thanks

The book “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer does a wonderful job of asking us to slow down, look around, and be thankful for what we have. Elizabeth Gilbert says of her book, “it’s a hymn of love to the world.”

We need to say thank you to the indigenous people for loaning us their land. The gift of Mother Earth is ingrained in the Native American belief of fusion with the land along with human and non-human spirits. It’s a beautiful book about Native American culture, what has been lost and is being revived, teachings of the elders and the importance of oral histories.

Robin’s other gift is combining science with feeling, making it so much more pronounced and powerful. We see the world more fully when we combine emotion and spirit with scientific body and mind.

My prayers are offered to the trees, rivers, mountains, oceans, wind, moon, stars, sun, animals and plants which we are moved by and blessed with. We must honor our responsibility for all we have been given.

Reciprocity requires responsibility and giving thanks to care for Mother Earth before it is too late. We do not have a decent track record.

A friend built a small cabin in Methow Valley near Wolf Creek close to Winthrop, Wash. Archaeologists have found small dugout houses that date back 2,400 years in that area, indigenous residents.

This magical gift of being a human being is very short. Enjoy the journey. Make it count.

This is just a smattering of what I read. Volumes of important, authenticated information are contained in Robin’s book. We give thanks.

SUE DUBOIS

Coeur d’Alene