Reflections ►
The Spirit Survived
Listen to the Weasel . He sees beneath the surface of situations ...
by Dolores Halbin , contributing writer
W easel ears hear what is really being said . This is a great ability . Weasel eyes see beneath the surface of a situation to know the many ramifications of an event . This too is a rare gift . The Chiefs sent Weasel to the enemy camp to smoke them for Power . “ What are the medicines of the enemy ?” The chiefs asked Weasel upon its return . … It was Weasel who tearfully told the Original People of the coming of the white boat people . “ These brothers have strange new medicines ,” said Weasel . “ They will tell us to live the way we do is wrong . They will confuse us with their talking bark . They have stolen thunder from Father Sky and placed it in their weapons . They have no respect for the animal brothers and sisters .... They will make the thunder speak to us also . Their numbers are too many to count , and these white brothers will steal everything from us but our spirits . The great dark shadow of the ravenous bird of death has fallen over the People .” Medicine Cards – The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals : Stealth
~ Jamie Sams & David Carson
Mistakes Were Made
About 20 minutes into the Bay , they ran out of gas . That was when he realized he didn ’ t have oars , flairs , or life jackets . Most likely , he surmised , his friend waving from the dock was not a “ Bye , have fun !” wave , but a “ Get back here you didn ’ t prepare the boat ” wave .
Eventually , my then 60-year-old brother jumped out of the boat , grabbed the tow rope , and started swimming like hell toward the bank . Either that , or they floated out to sea under the Golden Gate Bridge . When they arrived at shore , the current took the boat under the dock of a very large house up the hill on the Bay .
Between The Trail of Tears , which lasted from 1830-1850 , and the present day , we have turned this ancient world into a big mess .
A few years back , I was visiting my oldest brother in San Francisco ( SF ). We had a lovely lunch on Pier 39 and talked about mistakes . Not your everyday mistakes but those epic mistakes we ’ ve made in life , where we screwed up so badly there was simply nothing to be said .
For my brother , his best mistake was taking our sister out on a friend ’ s boat . They had a few hours before he was to take her as a guest and perform at the elite Bohemian Club on the one and only ladies ’ night offered each year .
A quick boat ride in the Bay sounded like a great idea . My brother Tom is no stranger to boat travel . His company , Castles and Concerts , takes people around the world on music cruises . He picked up the key to his friend ’ s boat at her marina and headed out on the clear blue waters under the clear blue SF sky .
He and my sister managed to get the boat tied off and , dripping wet , climbed the stairs leading to the homeowner ’ s patio . No one was home , but the back door was unlocked , so my brother entered the house , leaving a path of wet footprints . Because it was before cell phones and Uber , he used the landline , called my sister a cab , and called for a towboat .
As the towboat pulled into the marina , his friend stood on the dock . My brother climbed out , a drowned rat , and about out of time to make his performance that night . He handed his friend the keys to what was left of her boat and just said , “ I ’ m sorry I broke your boat . I ’ ll pay for it ,” dropping the keys in her hand . She didn ’ t say a word .
46 November 2024