WE ARE ALL RELATED

To give honor to my Lakota relatives
To offer prayers and smoke daily for the
struggle that never ends

The Pine Ridge Reservation encompasses the two
poorest counties in the United States
The needs of the Lakota people of Pine Ridge
Reservation are so great as to be staggering.
The winters are cold and severe, the elders
and the children are hit the hardest by the cold.
The unemployment rate is about 85 to 90 %.
Work simply is not available, Racism runs rampant.
The suicide rate is the highest in the country
One in every 4 teenager attempts suicide.
They have the worst schools and health care.
A Lakota man feels blessed
if he lives past the age of 44.
They are a beautiful and brave people and their
culture has survived these horrible conditions.
I have for the past 6 years, had
clothing drives and food drives to help.
This year I am asking for socks.
the children have no socks
No one seems to donate socks
Just a pack of tube socks would mean so much
to those cold little feet.
I am also asking for coats. out grown, new,
old, gently used or not so gently used.
just warm coats
in any and all sizes shapes and colors
If your heart leads you to help,
if you can help
please contact me: wyldflower29@webtv.net
I do not wish to offend anyone

and if this has
I am sorry
My only thought is to help
and many do not know
the sad circumstances
of the fine Lakota people.
It is also a way I can allow others
to show their kindness.
How can they help
if they do not know?
I am only the messenger.

BROKEN PROMISES

"They made us many promises.
More than I can remember.
But they kept but one ~
They promised to take our land
and they took it"
Chief Red Cloud

THE SPIRIT OF FREEDOM

An old Grandfather said to his grandson,
who came to him with anger at a friend who had
done him an injustice, Let me tell you a story.
I too, at times have felt a great hate for
those who have taken so much with no sorrow for
what they do.
But hate wears you down, and it does not hurt
your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing
your enemy would die.
I have struggled with these feelings many times.
He continued, It is as if there are two wolves
inside me: one is good and does no harm.
He lives in harmony with all around him and does
not take offense when no offense was intended.
He will only fight when it is right to do so and
in the right way.
But
the other wolf,
Ah!
He is full of anger. The littlest thing will
send him into a fit of temper.
He fights everyone all the time for no reason.
He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great.
It is a helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.
Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves
inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit.
The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eye's
and asked, Which one wins Grandfather?
The Grandfather smiled and quietly said

"THE ONE I FEED"!

Page last updated on: 07/31/2003