12 ways to live and love

I have been reading a book, The Lakota Way, for quite some time now. It's probably been about 6 months and I have yet to finish (I'm up to the last chapter) . It's not a long book, but when I REALLY enjoy a book, I tend to take my time with it and read only a few pages each night, and sometimes not read it for a week or two. This way, I can absorb the words and ideas better.

The book is broken up into 12 chapters, each dealing with lessons for living on ethics and character. Like a previous Native American book I read, The Wind is My Mother, I find this to be quite inspiring. But what really inspired me to write this entry is my wonderful girlfriend who means more than a great deal to me. So I will use each chapter's subject and relate it to relationships, or specifically, my relationship with her.

1-Humility- to be humble, modest

Not everyone has the privilege of being in a relationship. As a matter of fact, I haven't been in a relationship in years before my current one. For a while, I almost felt I'd never be in one again. But I am now, and I am very humble. Never be arrogant or ignorant, it can lead to unhappiness with yourself as well as your loved one. Indeed it is a blessing to be in a relationship and one must be humble about it.

2-Perseverance- to persist, to strive in spite of difficulties

In terms of our relationship, we haven't had any difficulties and quite honestly I don't see anything of that sort happening anytime soon. But outside our relationship, there has been some issues with our relationship. In an interracial relationship, not everyone outside of the couple may completely agree with the concept. However, through the use of perseverance, we haven't let these outside forces conquer us, and if we continue to persist, the outside forces will soon begin to see that these concepts aren't so bad after all.

3-Respect-to be considerate, to hold in high esteem

Obviously to be in a relationship with someone, you must respect them. I respect the hell out of my girlfriend. She is one of the hardest working, most loving people I have had the privilege of knowing. I respect her work ethic, her attitude towards life, the way she chooses to live her life, the way she respects herself, and well, just everything about her.

4-Honor-to have integrity, to have an honest and upright character

If you are honorable, many other good virtues follow. I hope I am honorable towards her. I believe I am, and I believe it's mutual. I am always honored to be in her prescience as well.

5-Love-to place and hold in one's heart

Loving a person is a feeling like no other. The way it strikes you, the way it develops, it truly is an unmatched feeling. Each person's scenario is different on how this feeling is obtained. When the feeling of love is real, and when you know it is real, it is a memory of a time and place that will never be forgotten. I love her dearly. She is the first person I have been in a relationship with who I truly love, and she is in fact my first girlfriend who I've said the three words to.

6-Sacrifice-to give of oneself, and offering

Sacrificing is a huge part of relationship. One can take a risk by sacrificing secrets to their lover, secrets that no one else knows, because they realize their lover is different than anyone else and worthy of this knowledge. In terms of materialism, one can realize that instead of buying clothes for themselves, they can sacrifice and buy items for their lover instead. But sacrificing is more than materialism, it's about the spirit as well.

7-Truth-that which is real

To be in a relationship, one must be truthful. One must be truthful with themselves as well as their lover. Why lie to another person? It only causes grief, anguish, and sadness. Why lie to yourself? Be honest and never be afraid to question your own faults, for if things are not questioned, how can there be solutions? Truth is the foundation of strength in a relationship.

8-Compassion-to care, to sympathize

All of these traits tie together, and this is a good example. One can respect another, but not be compassionate about it. But in a relationship, that wouldn't be allowed. Two must be compassionate about each other, about every aspect of their lives. Every time my girlfriend tells a story, sends me a text, anything, my compassion shines through. I always look forward to hearing or seeing what she has to say and I feel the feeling is mutual.

9-Bravery-having or showing courage

One must be brave to express their feeling and emotions. I must give my girlfriend credit, she was the first one to let me know how she felt and I know it took GREAT amounts of courage to do so and for that I respect her a lot. And each time one expresses their emotions to a higher level, it takes bravery. It takes bravery the first time you say "I love you" .

10-Fortitude- strength of heart and mind

Whenever life throws doubt in our direction, we must use our fortitude. There's times in relationships where people may discreetly feel fears. Sometimes they are expressed and obvious, other times not so much. But if one truly believes in love, they realize their fortitude will get them through anything. When the heart and mind work together, amazing things happen.

11-Generosity-to give, to share, to have a heart

Whether it's a keychain from a vacation or a cd from your personal collection, to give things to one other is a way of saying, "here is a piece of me, this means a great deal to me and I would like you to have it" . What a fortunate feeling it is to give a loved one a gift. But gifts aren't all materialistic. To give compliments, to express love, that too is being generous. Generosity will get you far in relationships and life in general. It really is a way to break free from selfishness, which one must sacrifice if they believe in love.

12-Wisdom-to understand what is right and true, to use knowledge wisely

We obtain wisdom as we go on in life. Wisdom comes with age. No longer am I or my girlfriend teenagers, but rather we are adults who both have our own individual experiences that make us who we are. With these experiences, we obtain knowledge on how to handle situations. With knowledge, we then have wisdom. Life's lessons of the past can teach us many things, and with wisdom, it can lead us to a endless path of love.

Moments (an excerpt)

Sitting on top of the valley, looking down

A sacred place he has never been to before

An eagle soared in the air and it was the only sound audible

This was the greatest moment of his life.

Little did he know that sparks were flying, and he may have ignited some

While staying by these mountainess valleys.

…some time had passed…

He had returned home from a journey travelled after his time spent at the valley

The sparks finally turned into flames,

And he fully began to embrace these ideas.

There were few questions of doubt in his mind for once,

Finally there was some authenticity in these feelings and emotions

And it was mutual, and growing

After some delay, the two finally met

The empty path was theirs

There was a slight drizzle and a cool breeze as they walked by the water

This was the greatest moment of his life.

A kiss on the hand...

A beautiful day by the water, the warmth of the sunshine gave them pleasure

The crowded parks was theirs, and though it was loud and many surrounded them,

In their minds they were the only ones there

This was the greatest moment of his life.

A kiss on the cheek...

Night fell, rain obstructed their return to the path by the water

But they endured into the night, lights flickering in the distance

Until they reached a quiet place

The world was theirs

This was the greatest moment of his life.

A kiss on the lips…

…some time had passed...

Alone with each other, relaxation

Intense conversation

A manifestation of inspiration.

A kiss on the hand...

A kiss on the cheek…

A kiss on the lips..

..unification…

The universe was theirs.

This was the greatest moment of his life.

-Sean 10/21/09

A journey

As the sun set, the sky was a color unlike ever seen before

The clouds in formations so unique that people questioned if things were normal

Was it a sign, a prophecy, was the end near?

The lonely boy had nothing to lose and he certainly thought the end would soon come

When the morning came, he finished packing his bags as the sun raised on a hot dawn

This golden dawn may have been one of his last

He said his goodbyes to his family, who he thought he may never see again

The strangers awaited, some spread out, some in clusters, and the lonely boy got in line

Words were spoken, laughter was frequent, but the lonely boy felt forever lost in a happy crowd

Once the items were gathered, the journey began, and he felt the end drawing closer

The long and grueling voyage began, and the lonely boy saw places he has never seen before, with people he did not know

After traveling non-stop for more than a day straight, they had arrived at their destination

It seemed like the bridge was endless, but they had finally reached the other side

And what a sight it was to see

A sight that made many cry

Indeed, the apocalypse came and gone from this place and yet it still remained

Abandoned streets. The lonely boy felt at home.

There was once a culture here. The spirits remained, the presence was felt.

The wall stood strong across from where the travelers stayed.

It's hard to imagine that this wall once cracked.. and then, nearly everything was lost.

The travelers were there to stay for a week. They had jobs to do.

The lonely boy grew more weak. But he kept on.

There were too many stories told of past lives, from the survivors of the civilization that once existed.

This intrigued the lonely boy. Suddenly, he was no longer lonely.

Soon he began to embrace. He finally started to eat and delved himself into this mysterious culture.

He had made new friends. He didn't want to return.

On the final night of the travelers' journey, before they were to return home, there was great fire in the sky, and thunders which echoed endlessly.

It was a goodbye in which they were treated like heroes.

The journey home didn't seem nearly as bad as the journey to.

When the travelers reached the destination, many began to cry.

Some questioned if they'd see each other again..yet everyone survived,

Even the lonely boy

Upon his return, the lonely boy realized he was no longer alone.

The signs, the prophecies, they were all true.

The end came…

The end of his loneliness, the end of a way he once perceived life, the end of an era.

Life had new meaning to him.

-Sean-10/20/09