Words for my older Children;

                         TO BE, OR NOT TO BE

          On a small rez, in March of 2000, four youths under 16 committed suicide.  Three more have tried since then.  All over North and South America Indigenous people are losing themselves to this crisis of hopelessness.  One of our nephews went that way this year.
          We recognize that words don't do our Peoples much good.  For most of them, books are dead.  But suicide is not painless, and with the highest suicide rate in the world, we felt it necessary to write a short essay to our children, in the hopes that even one will read, and be saved.

           For everyone, the pain, sorrow, uncertainty, tragedy, frustration, and disappointment of this life causes us to question our reason for living and the importance of our existence.

When these doubts come upon us, we should consider these questions:
 

For us to develop courage and strength of character-
       must we not live in an environment of hardship and disappointment?

For us to commit to the service of life and each other-
       must we not first encounter the danger and inequalities found in our society and  environment?

For us to understand the importance of hope-
       must we not be confronted with tragedy and uncertainty?

For us to have faith-
       must not our minds always seem to know less than we can believe?

For us to love the truth-
       must not the possibility of error and falsehood be possible?

For us to have ideals-
       must we not experience a world of inconsistant beauty and goodness, so that we will always struggle for what is better and more beautiful?

For us to to be loyal-
       must there not be the possiblity of betrayal and desertion?

 For us to be unselfish-
       must we not live with the temptation to be honored and recognized first?

 For us to embrace good-
       must we not recognize the contrast of evil and be tempted to look for gratification without moral guidance?

For us to be happy-
       must we not experience some pain and suffering, so that we understand what it is to be unhappy?
 

       Our Old Ones have reassured us that there is a next world and that some form of our life continues after death, even though we may not be assured of what or if a physical form will accompany it.  Since we owe all that we have to their sacrifices and wisdom- we trust that their Vision is truthful.
       So be comforted.

      "Death! There is no death- only a change of worlds!"Seattle