songs that make you sing...

long ago before there were such things as psychologists and psychiatrists...before the dawn of the behavioral health sciences and the telemedicine there lived an old woman...

she lead a simple life in the midst of her simple people...

when she dug her roots for winter food storage she hummed a tune. when she worked the beargrass with her strong hands, melodies flowed from her fingers...

this woman had a full life, she raised her children with discipline and tenderness, she loved her partner deeply and respected his strength in protecting them and guiding the people...

one day he rode into the camp with a deep and somber expression on his face. the people parted ways for him as he rode through to their home...he jumped off the horse and ran into their home...

he took her face in his hands and said "we have to be strong...our son fell while hunting today. his spirit soars now with the eagles"

this woman who had sewn the clothes for her son, who had sent this same son to the teachers for his instructions, she had watched her mate school him in the correct ways of hunting and in how to give thanks for the bounty of the earth...she stood still as she took in this news

she turned away and from deep within her began a song. she hummed quietly but did not sing yet for she had preparations to make. she took the whitest hides to sew the most beautiful outfit...and many more preparations she did while within her spirit a song burst through her being...

the people gathered to pay their respects; to speak their words about this son and this family and as each one spoke the song grew within this woman. she stepped into the circle and raised her hand. all went quiet and when she opened her mouth the song burst from her...

she sang of her pain in losing this son, she sang of her sorrow for those before her having lost theirs, she sang with deep longing for what is on the other side of this life, she sang with hopes that his journey would be a good one and she sang of tears that would flow upon his memory...the people listened and soon picked up her song...when she finished she put her hand down and paused beside her sons body...she didn't touch him or in any way try to keep him back, she whispered a silent farewell and walked away to her home.

as time passed they gathered often, these people...songs for all seasons grew from this woman's song...gathering songs, hunting songs, war songs, all of these wafted through the mountains and rivers from the people. the woman grew strong as she sang and she taught the younger women of this strength.

you can hear this same song from time to time...pause and listen when you do, it's one of those kind of songs that make you sing.

dedicated to my elders...the ones who sang before me