Free Cedar Woman by Debra Shiveley Welch Page A
Authors: Debra Shiveley Welch
r om t h e bowl wh e n h e r m o ther s m u d ge d . A s h imm er i ng li ght s u r r ou nd e d he r , but her f a t h er ’ s fo rm re m a i n ed d ar k .
An h alf ho u r p asse d , and then a no t h er. Still h er m o t h er and Tell Wo l f pray e d , so m eti m es chanting, s o met i m es s i le n t, t h eir m ou ths m oving w i th t h eir e n treaties. Sl o wl y , s l o w l y , her fa t h e r ’s b ody b e gan to g lo w. T h eir h eart beats s e p a rated, b u t c o n ti nu e d t o beat i n un is o n . L e na lea p t to h er feet! Her fat h er was ali v e!
29 Tdun-khash-ee - lahs – The Spirit Helpers
30 Tda-koo-skha h n-skhan – soul
31 Cha-noom-pah – pipe or sacred breath
As Zit k a Mi n e p r o ph e sie d , Peter re m ai n ed in c o m a for a f u ll fo u r seasons. On t h e a nn i vers a ry of his acc i dent, his eyes f l uttered open and he m u r m ured o n e w or d :
“ Mary.”
Lena lay on t h e bed s h e shar e d with her g r a nd m oth e r, a n d re m e m b ered. She re m e m b ered that Z itka Mine prophes i ed that h e r father would teach. Her brow w r i nkl e d as she c ons i d er e d this extraord i n ary state m ent. S h e cont i nu e d to re m e m b er: her fat h e r st ru gg l ing to learn to walk a g ain, talk agai n . Str u g g li n g to eat o n h i s ow n , t o rea d , b u t n e v er str u ggli n g t o l o ve a g ain.
He was as e n twi n ed with t h e he a rt o f his w i fe as b ef o re the accident. Daily Lena watch e d the ni m bus grow brighter and s t ronger. Str on g er t o o w ere t h e heart b eats of her p ar ents, beating i n u n i s o n . D a y b y da y s h e watc h ed h i m st r u g g le , an d s h e was i n a we o f h er fa t h er ’s a b ility to en d u re.
S h e watc h ed h i m p atie n tly l e arn to talk agai n , to c o m m u n icate, to voice his feel i ngs a nd dre a m s. She w i t n ess e d his pa i n as t h er a p ists worked with h i s we a k en e d l im b s, teac h ing him to walk again, to p e rform
tasks as si m p le as hold i ng a spoon. S h e obs e rv e d his cour a g e a s
stra n g ers bat h ed hi m , e m ptied his b e d p a n. His love f o r his wife, d aug h ter and m o t h er, and f o r Dean and Nellie when t h ey ca m e to C o l u m bus to see hi m , was evi d ent in t h e glow of his eyes and his patience i n r e- learni n g e v er y t hi n g he had d one b ef o re wit h o u t t h i nk i n g , was a less o n t h e y o un g L e na w o uld n e v e r fo rget.
His s o ul was e n cas e d in a b o dy t h at w o uld not re sp o n d, y et his soul was free, an d his accept a nce of his c o n d ition, and faith that he wou l d be
res to red t o h i s f o r m er se l f, n e ver f l a g g e d.
H i s c o nce r n w as f o r h i s fa m i l y and n o t h im self, so he w o r k ed e v e n h ar d er to re g ain h i s stren g t h , to wa l k , t o talk, to b e t h e h u sba n d and fat h er he h a d been before the accident. Finally, his gratitude for De a n and Nellie C o u n tr y m a n , Dea n ’s b r o t h e r Gar y , and t h e frie nd s who came t og et h er to help h is s m all fa m i ly, filled h is h eart in e v ery wa k i ng m o m e n t.
Lena s to od ba c k m en t ally and conte m p l ated her fa t h e r , and she was filled with won d er.
C h apter S e v e n
Lak o t a I n str u cti on s f o r Li v ing
Friend do it t h i s way - t h at is, w h ate v er you d o in life,
do t h e v e ry be s t y ou c a n w it h bo t h you r h ea r t an d m i nd .
A n d i f you do i t t h at w ay, the Pow e r of T h e Un i v erse will c o m e to y o ur assista n ce,
if yo u r h eart and m i n d are in U n ity.
W h en o n e sits in t h e H o op Of T h e Pe op le, one m u st be r e sp o n s i b l e, bec a use
all o f C r eati o n is relate d ,
a n d t h e h u rt o f on e is t h e h u rt o f all, a n d t h e h o nor o f o n e is t h e h o nor o f all,
and whatev e r we do effects e v er yt h i ng i n t h e u n i v e rse.
If y o u do it t h
An h alf ho u r p asse d , and then a no t h er. Still h er m o t h er and Tell Wo l f pray e d , so m eti m es chanting, s o met i m es s i le n t, t h eir m ou ths m oving w i th t h eir e n treaties. Sl o wl y , s l o w l y , her fa t h e r ’s b ody b e gan to g lo w. T h eir h eart beats s e p a rated, b u t c o n ti nu e d t o beat i n un is o n . L e na lea p t to h er feet! Her fat h er was ali v e!
29 Tdun-khash-ee - lahs – The Spirit Helpers
30 Tda-koo-skha h n-skhan – soul
31 Cha-noom-pah – pipe or sacred breath
As Zit k a Mi n e p r o ph e sie d , Peter re m ai n ed in c o m a for a f u ll fo u r seasons. On t h e a nn i vers a ry of his acc i dent, his eyes f l uttered open and he m u r m ured o n e w or d :
“ Mary.”
Lena lay on t h e bed s h e shar e d with her g r a nd m oth e r, a n d re m e m b ered. She re m e m b ered that Z itka Mine prophes i ed that h e r father would teach. Her brow w r i nkl e d as she c ons i d er e d this extraord i n ary state m ent. S h e cont i nu e d to re m e m b er: her fat h e r st ru gg l ing to learn to walk a g ain, talk agai n . Str u g g li n g to eat o n h i s ow n , t o rea d , b u t n e v er str u ggli n g t o l o ve a g ain.
He was as e n twi n ed with t h e he a rt o f his w i fe as b ef o re the accident. Daily Lena watch e d the ni m bus grow brighter and s t ronger. Str on g er t o o w ere t h e heart b eats of her p ar ents, beating i n u n i s o n . D a y b y da y s h e watc h ed h i m st r u g g le , an d s h e was i n a we o f h er fa t h er ’s a b ility to en d u re.
S h e watc h ed h i m p atie n tly l e arn to talk agai n , to c o m m u n icate, to voice his feel i ngs a nd dre a m s. She w i t n ess e d his pa i n as t h er a p ists worked with h i s we a k en e d l im b s, teac h ing him to walk again, to p e rform
tasks as si m p le as hold i ng a spoon. S h e obs e rv e d his cour a g e a s
stra n g ers bat h ed hi m , e m ptied his b e d p a n. His love f o r his wife, d aug h ter and m o t h er, and f o r Dean and Nellie when t h ey ca m e to C o l u m bus to see hi m , was evi d ent in t h e glow of his eyes and his patience i n r e- learni n g e v er y t hi n g he had d one b ef o re wit h o u t t h i nk i n g , was a less o n t h e y o un g L e na w o uld n e v e r fo rget.
His s o ul was e n cas e d in a b o dy t h at w o uld not re sp o n d, y et his soul was free, an d his accept a nce of his c o n d ition, and faith that he wou l d be
res to red t o h i s f o r m er se l f, n e ver f l a g g e d.
H i s c o nce r n w as f o r h i s fa m i l y and n o t h im self, so he w o r k ed e v e n h ar d er to re g ain h i s stren g t h , to wa l k , t o talk, to b e t h e h u sba n d and fat h er he h a d been before the accident. Finally, his gratitude for De a n and Nellie C o u n tr y m a n , Dea n ’s b r o t h e r Gar y , and t h e frie nd s who came t og et h er to help h is s m all fa m i ly, filled h is h eart in e v ery wa k i ng m o m e n t.
Lena s to od ba c k m en t ally and conte m p l ated her fa t h e r , and she was filled with won d er.
C h apter S e v e n
Lak o t a I n str u cti on s f o r Li v ing
Friend do it t h i s way - t h at is, w h ate v er you d o in life,
do t h e v e ry be s t y ou c a n w it h bo t h you r h ea r t an d m i nd .
A n d i f you do i t t h at w ay, the Pow e r of T h e Un i v erse will c o m e to y o ur assista n ce,
if yo u r h eart and m i n d are in U n ity.
W h en o n e sits in t h e H o op Of T h e Pe op le, one m u st be r e sp o n s i b l e, bec a use
all o f C r eati o n is relate d ,
a n d t h e h u rt o f on e is t h e h u rt o f all, a n d t h e h o nor o f o n e is t h e h o nor o f all,
and whatev e r we do effects e v er yt h i ng i n t h e u n i v e rse.
If y o u do it t h
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