The Lakota Way by Joseph M. Marshall III

Author:Joseph M. Marshall III
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

Seeing the Way Things Are

An Easterner moved to the West to live the slow-paced, elemental lifestyle he had always yearned after. In the autumn he purchased a rustic log house at the base of a mountain. Since his only source of heat was a wood stove, he set about laying in wood. Soon he had a very large pile of wood next to his house. But since his only preparation for winter previously had been to turn up the thermostat in his apartment, he didn’t know if he had put up enough wood to keep him warm through the winter. So he decided to ask a few local people.

“Go to the top of the mountain,” a neighbor advised. “Up there lives a wise old Indian. He can give you the advice you need.”

So the Easterner climbed the mountain, which was no simple task for someone used to stairs and escalators, and found an old Indian man sitting in front of a tiny log cabin. “I was wondering,” he said, getting immediately to the point, “I have a wood stove to heat my house. How will I know how much wood is enough to last the winter through?”

The old Indian stood, walked to the edge of the mountain, looked up into the sky, into the surrounding forest, and down the mountain, and returned to his chair. “More wood,” he uttered.

The Easterner climbed back down and went to work, and in a week or so he had a pile of wood half the size of his house. He felt better, but soon the doubts began to creep in, so he decided to visit the old Indian once again. The climb to the top of the mountain was no easier the second time, but the old Indian was there still. “I’ve put up more wood, but I’m still not sure I have enough,” he confessed.

Whereupon the old Indian stood, walked to the edge of the mountain, looked up into the sky, into the surrounding forest, and down the mountain, and returned to his chair. “More wood,” he uttered.

The Easterner climbed back down and went back to work. In two weeks he doubled his wood pile and was feeling more secure, certain now that he would stay warm through the entire winter. But he was curious about how that old Indian on the mountain knew how much wood was enough. So he decided to ask him.

After yet another long, arduous climb the Easterner found the old Indian sitting in front of his log cabin. “Sir,” he said, “I have more than enough wood to last me through the winter. I thank you for your advice, but I must know the basis of your wisdom. I noticed you looked up into the sky and into the forest. Is that how you knew how much wood I would need to get me through the winter?”

“Not really,” replied the old Indian. “Below me lives a white man and he’s been laying in the wood like you wouldn’t believe.

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