Day Three on the Road
News You Can Use

Bandelier National Park/ Los Alamos Bradbury Science Museum

Living in each and every one of us there is a spirit that connects us with Mother Earth. Coming out to the southwest again has reconnected me with this spirit.

To the “will” of the wind……Today as I watched the past come alive before my eyes, I realized the importance of balance and how we live in accordance with Mother Nature. There is a familiar strand that is woven into our being that connects us with all living things making us “one”.  This strand that connects us is as delicate as spiders’ web.  This strand is also constructed to be strong, holding us connected together. Our Ancestral Pueblo brothers left behind a blueprint for living. Man is to treat everything they come in contact with, with reverence. We are to respect and care for what the Great Spirit has given us. It is truly a gift.

As we listen and read to a poem written by my brother Pueblo I cry. There was an emotional surge that surfaced and I had no idea where it came from. Why was I feeling sad? The poem sent a message concerning cleansing.  It spoke about how their ancestor’s forefathers reverenced the rains that brought forth a cleansing of spirit.

To the “will” of the wind…..I started to think back to a few moments ago when we all stood at the top of a gorge taking in out first scenic view. When all of sudden a huge rain cloud came rolling across the mountain tops and drenched us with rain. Our first cleansing that will enable us to set foot on this sacred ground.

As we walked through Bandolier our spirit started to connect with the “voices in the wind”. We were beginning to absorb the energy, balance, and the beauty of the Great Spirit’s creation. The student’s eyes were wide open as they were seeing for the first time vastness in such a great magnitude. They were connecting with a people that lived in accordance to the spiritual law of order. There is order here. The Ancestral Pueblo took from the earth only what they needed. In their message we learn how to reverence what we see and what the Great Spirit has given us as a gift. As a spiritual being having a human experience we need to take care of this place we call home.

The Ancestral Pueblo are gone from this place physically but spiritual they have left for us a message, the blueprint for life. We are one with nature and we all are connected to each other.

As we came to the end of our journey each of us walked away with a part of Bandelier. We hugged trees, we made friends with brother stink beetle who entertained us with his skilled acrobats and a puff of memorable aroma. Banked into our memories are wild flowers, stone walls and a people who lived in accordance with Mother Earth.