A Ring Walk

[H2O Man]

5. Yeah, I do.

It's funny, I recall at one public meeting years ago, the mayor thought he could embarass me by pointing out that my family used to live in this neighborhood. More, one of my sisters who works at that community's school will talk about "those people." Well, I will always remember that I came from that gutter, and no matter where I may reside, I'll always be one of "those people."

There are neighborhoods in every community and city, not to mention the rural poor, who have been marginalized by our culture. They have no voice. They have few advocates. And some within the system make a heck of a lot of money, from other people's poverty, ignorance, and suffering.

So I am thankful to have the opportunity to try to help open some doors for those people. It's far more of an honor for me to be welcomed into their homes to talk, than to attend any meeting with a politician. Hence, the next few days will include some of the self-purification ceremonies that I undertake in these circumstances. I just got home from picking up a nice load of stones -- mainly white flint -- for use at the sweat lodge. I also found a 20-inch by 7-inch piece of petrified bark, so I'm about as happy as any human being needs to be!