Seven Grandfather Spirits dwelt in the sky
Sent by the Creator to watch over all humankind
But things were not well with the sick and the dying, those living on earth in their own shadow
Someone was needed to teach them new ways of living in harmony with all of Creation
Someone worthy and could learn the ways and the lessons to be passed on
Spirit Messenger was sent and came out of the sky
With the vision of a good heart clear through up high
He reached out long through the blue of his spirit
His feathered wing touched a beaded cradleboard
A baby boy so young was innocent enough to take, to teach and bring back full circle
All the strength all the knowledge to his sick and dying people
But being so young he was not ready to face the Grandfather's power, so Spirit Messenger took him
And showed him the stars, the four quarters of the universe and all of Creation
Because babies are more spirit then their time on this red earth,
They understand the deepest of Blue before those of the Red
When the boy returned to the Grandfathers he was seven,
But held the wisdom of the stars and the ability to survive
He was now ready in his South age of growth to face the power of the Grandfathers
The Grandfathers showed him a vessel and told him to look inside
In that quick glimpse, the boy had found beauty of the beyond
And hard to comprehend, the colours and music were like nothing he had seen or heard
Each grandfather gave the boy a gift from the vessel to carry back for he was ready to go home
Spirit Messenger was sent to find someone who could return the boy to his people
He searched many times and finally found Otter
But Otter, was too playful too spontaneous with the fun of life to listen
So it took Spirit Messenger many tries to bring him back to the Grandfathers
Otter listened into every detail of what the Grandfathers required
And then took the boy on a long journey home
The boy carried the heavy bundle with the responsibility for each of the seven gifts,
Resonating into each stop along the way, and learned the meaning of each one,
Of Wisdom, Love, and Respect, of Bravery, Honesty, Humilty, and Truth
For each gift came with the evil opposite and careful understanding taught acknowledgement of the other side
In four spirit days he grew into his West old man-self and came to a place of in between
Where he looked across a large body of water to see a poor and hungry people
Of where he'd been and how far he'd come and what was left to be done
Otter realized what these people needed was in the Four Directions teaching
That they could not live in Harmony without the power of each Direction
So he dove down, swam to the middle of the lake came up and shouted that he would show them
The four directions and they cheered each time the Otter swam to the East, back to the middle, South, Back to the Middle, West, Back to the Middle, and North
When Otter returned to his friend, the Middleaged man was now in the North of his old age
And returning to his people as an old man, had the gift of Balance, Health and Harmony in Creation
In his bundle of huge power which he shared with his people.
LauraLee K. Harris
