Love is giving with no thought of getting.
It is tenderness enfolding with strength to protect.
It is forgiveness without further thought of the thing forgiven.
It is understanding of human weakness,
with knowledge of the true self shining through.

It is quiet in the midst of turmoil.
It is trust in Great Spirit with little thought of self.
It is the one altogether lovely, the light in the mother's eyes,
the glory in the sacrifices,
the quiet assurance of protection.
It is in the expectation of our Creator's promise coming true.
It is the refusal to see anything but good in our fellow man.
It is the glory that comes with selflessness and the power that comes with assurance of the Creator's love for His Children.
It is the resistance to the world's lust and greed, thus becoming a positive law of annihilation to error.

Love . . .the one thing no one can take from us . . .
the one thing we can give constantly
and become increasingly rich in the giving.
Love can take no offense,
for it cannot know that which it does not of itself conceive.

It cannot hurt or be hurt,
for it is the purest reflection of Great Spirit: Good.
It is the one eternal, indestructible force for good.
It is the will of Great Spirit,
preparing, planning, proposing, always what is best
for all His universe.

The Ancient Way's Of The Lakota Grandmothers

The Grandmothers were and are a very important part of the Lakota culture.  The wise Grandmothers are the teachers who remind us of the past, and show how it is the guide into the future. They teach us of their wisdom, and then guide us to the Grandfathers to complete the teachings. They are the watchers of children for they know that information must be passed on, for someday these children will be the keepers of the earth. Some say the old ways are gone, but through time the old ways have shown that there is only one way of life.  In the ways of our culture we stand by Honor, Integrity, Respect and Love for all people.  We are on a pathway that was foretold by the Grandfathers. The old ones know that it will never be like the time of their elders, but a time of new awakening of the old ways. The Grandmothers know that time is short and their work will be hard for they are the last to be close to the ancestors of the ones that lived the ways of old. Their Grandfathers and Grandmothers experienced the great buffalo herds and the grandness of nature as it was meant to be. In that time you took what the people needed for every day life, cared for mother earth, and thanked her for the abundance. A different time... Today's Grandmother travels from place to place when she is called and she is called often. There is much work in the way of our customs and it is part of the culture that must live on in our children and their children's children. There are those that are watching that may not be natives but have been here a long time and see that the old ways were good and too live by them in their hearts. They too know that the old ways of Honor, Integrity, Respect and Love of one another and the respect of mother earth and all that inhabit it are of utmost importance. Help one of those Grandmothers in her journeys, in the ways of the ancestors. Let us be a part, to know that we are helping in keeping the wisdoms of old alive. Let us help at least one grandmother on this path. Though there are many and we would like to help them all.  Please visit the site of a special Lakota Grandmother that has been through much in her life, and does much to bring the old ways to our young people. http://www.uncisioux.com/ There is also another Lakota program called "Adopt a Grandparent" which is so worthy of our attention.  Please visit this site.  Adopt A Grandparent                                                  ELDER ABUSE IS MORE THAN HITTING ELDER ABUSE IS ALSO: BORROWING MONEY FROM THEIR LIMITED OR FIXED INCOME AND NOT PAYING IT BACK BORROWING THEIR PRECIOUS CAR AND NOT RETURNING IT IN TIME OR REPLACING THE GAS YOU USED NOT VISITING UNLESS YOU NEED SOMETHING, WHEN THEY NEED YOU TO PERHAPS HELP WITH CARRYING OR MOVING SOMETHING NOT VISITING THEM ON THEIR HOLY DAYS OR BIRTHDAYS OR OTHER CLAN OR FAMILY DAYS NOT INVITING THEM TO GO OUT AND BE WITH YOU THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF ELDER ABUSE ADOPT A P[INE RIDGE LAKOTA ELDER program -- Some of the same people are involved in this one, which has the support of the Pine Ridge Sioux tribe. It was started under the influence of the late Nellie Red Owl (who gave me a Lakota name in 1974). The Pine Ridge program is different in various ways from the Navajo program -- they arranged Red Owl grocery certificates, basically want money donations, are assisting in the building of ramps for whneelchair building access (this is quite costly), emergency heating, Xmas toy drive (so grandparents can give toys to their grandchildren) and many other things. Seeking very expensive, ambitious computer donations -- top of the line Macs for graphics pros. As with the previous elder program, this one is legitimate and well-accepted by the people. Either project is a good one for nonIndian schools and classes to become involved in. Please do not send old clothes and junk.  A