Wednesday, March 10, 2010

WINTER THAW (NATIVE AMERICAN WISDOM)

"Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children."

Ancient Indian Proverb



HUBBARD LAKE
(Winter thaw)



Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands all alone.
Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom
as the Eagle which soars in the Sky.
Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness
as dry fields weep with rain.

Ute

28 comments:

Victoria said...

Hi Joey, what a super Gorgeous post..beautiful poem..full of wisdom and the awe of spirit. Blessings..thankyou for sparking such light!
Kiki~

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Joey, I just realized we have more in common than food and gardening. The Great Gatsby one of my favorite books and movie my blog named after him, Vincent Van Gogh. James Dean from East of Eden

Eileen

Gail said...

Dear Joey, Such a winter and such a year~I am glad the thaw is beginning. I feel spring pouring into me and lifting my spirits. Thank you for the wonderful post~ xxoogail

Unknown said...

Lovely, Joey! And is that a piece of your artwork? I noticed the first initial on the signature is a J, so I wondered...

Meredith said...

Oh, Joey... I am a more centered person when I leave your blog today than when I came in. Such grace and depth here. Thank you for that.

Rob (ourfrenchgarden) said...

A truism if ever there was, great image as well

Anonymous said...

Dear Joey, I had not come across the Indian proverb before now; it is so telling and truthful. I also have enjoyed reading the poem which, I felt, could well serve as a prayer irrespective of one's particular creed. Both are very thought provoking.

Roses and Lilacs said...

Good morning Joey. That Indian proverb is one we should all give a great deal of thought to. Great photo.
Marnie

joey said...

Hi Kiki and thank you. I would imagine this would speak to you, 'soul sister' :) Blessings!

How fun, Eileen! Great minds think alike :) These favorites still haunt me. I should add a few more like Man's Search for Meaning and A Fine Balance.

Indeed, Gail. Today should be glorious ... hovering around 60ยบ. Hopefully, it will melt the remains of snow.

Thank you, Kim. Yes, it is a multiple exposure ... thawing Hubbard Lake and one of my many favorite vintage Native American prints.

How kind, Meredith. I am very much a daughter of the earth!

The image, 2 favorites, was a joy to create, Rob. The lake is rich in Native American history.

Thanks Marnie, I agree. Do hope our lovely weather finds you, my friend!

joey said...

Dear Edith, I agree, and why I posted this. We are all children of the earth!

Unknown said...

Wow, Joey this is all so beautiful! It brings me peace, somehow. That picture is really something else. :o)

joey said...

Thank you, Krista. You well know how much fun it is behind the lens and creating!

imac said...

Fantastic post my friend.
Nature will heal the Planet, but will mankind be saved?

beckie said...

Joey, what inspiring words. More true now than ever. I hope your thaw lasts-ours too. But I know how sly March can be-teasing us one day and laughing at us the next.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

Joey, your opening quote is one of my all time faves. How true it is!

joey said...

Interesting take ... thank you, iMac.

Hello, dear Beckie. It's wonderful to hear from you. Yes, March can be a tease. Let's hope this is the real thing!

I'm not surprised, Nancy ... you and I are often on the 'same page' :)

donna said...

Joey, this is my second time coming back to this post. The photo is like a magnet and won't let me go.

I live on the Oneida Indian Reservation here in NE WI and am aware of the special relationship they have with Mother Earth. Now if only more of their wisdom would rub off on me.

donna

joey said...

Donna, how interesting and thank you. I collect vintage Native American prints (part of my heritage) and this is one of my favorites. Though the original print is stunning, rich in color, I was compelled to create this as an overlay on my thaw photo of the lake. I am a daughter of the earth :)

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Love the poem. Stillness is an art I feel I've fairly mastered... you see and learn so much more quiet observation!

Dirty Girl Gardening said...

gorgeous... love the quote, since it's so true. thanks for that post.

OF SPRING AND SUMMER said...

Lovely poem and picture with an important message!

joey said...

Thanks Monica ... how true about stillness ... the only way we can hear the answers to our prayers.

Hello, DGG, and thank you. Reflection time is good :)

Thank you Spring and Summer (my 2 favorite seasons)!

Shady Gardener said...

Thank you, Joey. It's never too often to be reminded of our stewardship obligation.

Are you old enough to remember taking photos with a "regular camera" and making double exposures? ;-)

joey said...

Indeed I am, Shady. I had an old Brownie Hawkeye :)

Rose said...

Beautiful, Joey! We would do well to remember these Native American words of wisdom. I hope you have a great week!

joey said...

Thank you, dear Rose. And you too ... time for your Arizona trip?

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Joey!
How lovely to see this. The Utes, as I'm sure you know, are practically neighbors of mine here in Utah. Very inspirational. I hope you're having a great weekend -- and cooking up a storm. :)

joey said...

Hi, dear Kate, and thank you. I'm delighted to see you up and about, feeling better. Actually, for the past 4 days, I have either been eating out or invited to friend's for dinner ... a BIG break for me but I'm itchin' to get back in the kitchen!