Bird Droppings February 3, 2010
Words or lack of words is wisdom

“He believes profoundly in silence which is the sign of a perfect equilibrium. Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind, and spirit.” Ohiyesa, Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman, Santee Sioux

Trained as a physician Dr. Charles Eastman was also a profound and eloquent speaker for the Sioux nation. So often when we speak it is only words spilling out a barrage of often meaningless dribble that just is there waiting to explode. Hello how are you, how’s the family, the job and numerous other familiar little blips we tend to throw at people that we meet. Many times it is simply a societal politeness or we think bantering on as the person we are addressing is trying to find a way to not listen.

“Silence is the mother of truth, for the silent man was ever to be trusted, while the man ever ready with speech was never taken seriously.” Chief Luther Standing Bear, Teton Sioux

“In my opinion it was chiefly owing to their deep contemplation in their silent retreats in the days of youth that the old Indian orators acquired the habit of carefully arranging their thoughts.” Blackbird, Ottawa

So often in our haste we blurt out words that become meaningless simply because we feel we should be talking. As I look at the words of these great Native American orators often it was in their silence and reflection that wisdom has shown through. There was not a hasty response that was spontaneous and not thought through as each word was carefully chosen so as to impact and bring the point to the listener. For many words were sacred and a privilege to use and to speak in the culture of these people.
I was thinking wouldn’t that be great if every ADHD child thought before they spoke which of course would negate some of the rationale for the diagnosis. We would not need, In school suspension anymore perhaps. There would be les numbers of bars of soap sold as parents would not have to wash any mouths out with soap. Although thinking back one of my favorite movie lines is still from the Christmas Story and soap blindness.

“You must speak straight so that your words may go as sunlight into out hearts” Cochise, Chiricahaua Apache

Known as a great warrior as well as spokesman for the Chiricahaua Apache, Cochise was feared and revered by many. So often listening to the fabrications of teenagers as a teacher you do enjoy silence and or truth. So many times exaggerations flow like water each telling of a story that embellishes on the next and so forth till some where perhaps reality really did occur. A student yesterday posted on Myspace how she hates it when people lie to her and yet in less than two days sitting by my door at school I watched and heard her lie and or tell stories more than four times. This was in the limited context of a small section of my hallway and I do not even have her in class we seem to lie almost instinctively.
“Good words do not last long unless they amount to something.” Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

Growing up I recall stories of Chief Joseph and how his people avoided the army and won numerous skirmishes in their attempted flight to freedom in Canada. After being rejected by the Canadian Government they had no alternative but to surrender and Joseph’s speech has been quoted by many ever since. Sadly as Joseph was near death he was refused passage to his beloved sacred lands in Washington to die as our government in Washington felt this old man was still a threat to society.

“I am tired of talk that comes to nothing. It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises. There has been too much talking by men who had no right to talk.” Chief Joseph, NezPerce

I watch our politicians talk out one side of the mouth and down the other. It is like going to a used car lot and watching used car sales folks at work. What do you believe? Watching news today is not really watching news it is more like ok what do I believe and what is fantasy. Extremists on both sides spin and garble the truth till really nothing is coherent. Papers on the rack at grocery stores alter photos so we see what the story implies. I was thinking back a few years to the investigators trying to blame someone with the misinformation on Iraq that lead to the war. Few people noticed the last of the Iraqi oil fields have been leased for production and that conveniently all are under US and allies companies. The third largest oil reserves in the world and billions of dollars in profit cost us how much in American lives and dollars. We now know most of what we were told was lies yet we are told the people lying were only misinformed.
It becomes confusing as I am sure years ago when the soldiers would explain peace treaties with numerous lines of fine print. A favorite line has been for me, as long as the buffalo roam. That line to a plains tribe who lived off the vast herds of migratory buffalo numbering over fifty million on one count was forever. But it only took sharps rifles and a healthy trade in hides to quickly reduce the herds to a handful and we said as long as the buffalo roan and they are gone so you guys need to go to now. We do this today in politics, in schools and in life getting commitment based on something we already know will be gone or never was there to begin.

“I would have been better pleased if you had never made promises, than that you should have made them and not performed them.” Shinguaconse

We so often tell little stories to a point it becomes a habit and soon we are caught up in our little stories with no returning to truth. The little girl I mentioned previously I ran into last night at a basketball game and she made it through the day with her stories and really it was a silly thing but how often they are not silly things and how often are they life changing events and yet the truth is vague or nonexistent.

“Always tell the truth – it’s the easiest to remember.” David Mamet

Thinking as I go that simple statement by Mamet imagine if we only took our own advice. Just tell the truth and you do not need to have anything to remember correctly. There will be no stories to get straight and no hoping you don’t get caught. So for another day please keep all in harms way on your mind and in your hearts.
namaste
bird