Day 224: Monday October 26th To the Creator, for the ultimate gift of life, I thank you

Announcement: Link to yesterday's Celebration

https://vimeo.com/manage/472273090/general

Reflection:

Lakota Prayer: read beautifully by John Poole

“Aho Mitakuye Oyasin”

All my relations. I honor you in this circle of life with me today. I am grateful for this opportunity to acknowledge you in this prayer…

To the Creator, for the ultimate gift of life, I thank you.

To the mineral nation that has built and maintained my bones and all foundations of life experience, I thank you.

To the planet nation that sustains my organs and body and gives me healing herbs for sickness, I thank you.

To the animal nation that feeds me from your own flesh and offers your loyal companionship in this walk of life, I thank you.

To the human nation that shares my path as a soul upon the sacred wheel of Earthly life, I thank you.

To the Spirit nation that guides me invisibly through the ups and downs of life and for carrying the torch of light through the Ages, I thank you.

To the Four Winds of Change and Growth, I thank you.

You are all my relations, my relatives, without whom I would not live. We are in the circle of life together, co-existing, co-dependent, co-creating our destiny. One, not more important than the other.

One nation evolving from the other and yet each dependent upon the one above and the one below. All of us a part of the Great Mystery.

Thank you for this life.

POEM

At Last the New Arriving

BY GABRIELLE CALVOCORESSI

Like the horn you played in Catholic school

the city will open its mouth and cry

out. Don't worry 'bout nothing. Don't mean

no thing. It will leave you stunned

as a fighter with his eyes swelled shut

who's told he won the whole damn purse.

It will feel better than any floor

that's risen up to meet you. It will rise

like Easter bread, golden and familiar

in your grandmother's hands. She'll come back,

heaven having been too far from home

to hold her. O it will be beautiful.

Every girl will ask you to dance and the boys

won't kill you for it. Shake your head.

Dance until your bones clatter. What a prize

you are. What a lucky sack of stars.

SONGS

Harry Chapin - All My Life's a Circle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yjxWfyxpqY

The Rising

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5_8gpiSotI&list=OLAK5uy_n9UUWeHA2YKfymVQqETeHazNMUstNmLqY&index=13

For All You Do - Raffi and Lindsay Munroe duet, featuring Yo-Yo Ma

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk_oxE7Zko8