I went again today, as I often do, to my forest prayer circle. I go to my place of meditation to express gratitude for the blessings of life I encounter by and by, as I go here and there, sharing from my storytelling bundle or to recite poetry. At other times, I go to the circle to ponder my many shortcomings and also to reflect on the emotional and spiritual dysfunction weighing down society in general, at this time in our world. It is so worrisome! Today though, I had friendship on my mind, its meaning and purpose.
What is a friend? I can tell you that there was a time in my past where I felt I had not even one person whose face I could look upon and see in it, a friend. Such a feeling brings depression, it initiates rebellion, it puts a gigantic chip on the shoulder of a young person! Times have changed. In the last 15 years, I have been so very fortunate to have friends in my circle who trust in me to the same degree I trust in them. I can confide any and all things of my life with them. I am there for them as a shield and I have no doubt that they would act as such for me too, should I call on them to do so. I celebrate my friends, I honour them, I feast them! My life would not be as joyful or meaningful if not for these special people in it who I hold up as ‘friends’.
In the heart of a true friend, you find the music, the beat, floating in perfect harmony with the spiritual beliefs you lean on to take you to places of grandness never imagined before.
When I think of friends and how they so greatly enrich me in my emotional domain, my thoughts take me to the lives of my daughters, my grandchildren, my brothers and sisters, my nieces and nephews, my cousins and other relatives and I wish for them, true friends in their lives. I want the new life (born only a couple of weeks ago), my great-granddaughter Isla, to grow up surrounded with ‘good’ friends who will emotionally support her and stand by her (elbows up) in troubling times as I know she will do for them.
I picked up a feather after my sobriety began. It spoke to me, it said “Accept me as a symbol of strength, of purity and of truth and like a real friend, I will never let you down.” The eagle feather has been true to its promise!
I look to the trees around my house and see living beings I regard as friends. The pines, the balsam, the white birch, the maples, all of them, they are real friends as are all things I regard as ‘All my Relations’. I share with them things from my heart, my sorrows and joys. I touch them lovingly. I present them with offerings of sacred tobacco.
If real friendship was a tree in the forest, it would be an oak. For the oak is strong, eloquent and generous in its provisions for all things living in its domain. This is how I see my dearest friend.
I hope all the people I care about have a friend, a special one, who stands by them through good times and bad times. A friend who will listen carefully to you and will emotionally support you when your energy is at its lowest. A friend whose voice brings energy and smiles into your world.
I can’t end how I feel about friendship without mentioning our family dog (1956-1965).
Laddie was my first friend. I learned so much from him, like what it means to be protective of those you care about. What things of respect I have acquired in my life that came to me because of actions people described as ‘deeds of courage’, have their seeds in the teachings given me by Laddie. What a fighter he was! He went into instant attack mode when he sensed a threat was close by, ready to harm the Dumont kids. His presence near me when I experienced any kind of trauma was a tonic which brought instant relief. His heart was a place I could enter and curl up in and be at peace. I’ll never forget Laddie and know I will see him again in the Great Spirit Land.
Friends, they make the world go round.
Keep the Circle Strong,
South Wind (Albert Dumont)
