Apache Seasons

• Sacred Sites......The Four Directions
  
  Painting by friend, Donel Keeler, Dakota Artist

As evidence that winter is upon us, my trees and grass are covered with a light dusting of snow. Now mind you, winter is not historically my favorite season. However, I may find this one a little easier to bear thanks to my friend and fellow beadweaver, Judy Citta.

• Judy and I belong to the Omaha Beady Bunch. This is an organization of men and woman who enjoy beading, meet once a month, and do a beading project. The projects are usually instructed by a member. At our November meeting, Judy not only presented the class but shared the following Apache story with us. I hope you will enjoy it.


• There was an Indian Chief who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.


• The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest in the fall.


• When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.


• The first son, who went in winter, said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.


• The second son, who went in spring, said no..it was covered with green buds and full of promise.


• The third son, who went in summer, said he disagreed. It was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful. In fact, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.


• The last son, who went in the fall, disagreed with all of them. He said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.


• The Chief then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen only one season in the life of a tree.


• He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end...when all of the seasons are up.


• If you give up when it is winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, and the fulfillment of your fall.

In summary:

• Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all of the rest.


• Don't judge life by one difficult season.


• Live simply


• Love generously


• Care deeply


• Speak kindly


• Leave the rest to God


• Happiness keeps you sweet


• Trials keep you strong


• Sorrows keep you human


• Failures keep you humble


• Success keeps you glowing


• But only God keeps you going.

Maybe my winter won't be so bad this year and I have great hopes for yours as well!