Thursday, January 7, 2010

Walking the Red Road


Since I've entered the new year many people have been asking me," Priscilla, what's your new year resolution?" Honestly? Why make false promises to myself so I tell them, "I don't have any. It's difficult to maintain a goal the entire year when life is so unexpected and full of surprises."

What I do know is that this year I want to "Walk the Red Road." Walking the Red Road is a Native American saying that my college professor taught me years ago. When he explained the meaning to the class, I heard it, but I didn't absorb the true meaning. Now, with the experiences that I have endured I can truly embrace the meaning and appreciate it.

"To walk the Red Road is to know sacrifice, suffering. It is to understand humility. It is the ability to stand naked before the Creator in all things for your wrong doings, for your lack of strength, for your uncompassionate way, for your arrogance - because to walk the Red Road, you always know you can do better. And you know, when you do good things, it is through the Creator, and you are grateful...

To Walk the Red Road, you have less fear of being wrong, because you know that life is a journey, a continuous circle, a sacred Hoop. Mistakes will be made, and mistakes can be corrected - if you will be humble, for if you cannot be humble, you will never know when you have made a mistake. If you walk the Red Road, you know that every sorrow leads to a better understanding, every horror cannot be explained, but can offer growth....

To Walk the Red Road is to look for beauty in all things..."

Written by,
Bruce Soaring Eagle Thompson & Helen Redwing Vinson

1 comment:

Heather said...

I love this post - and I think that's a wonderful thing to aspire to do.