Prepare a noble song

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”

 Chief Tecumseh

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live your life well

respect others

serve your community

create beauty

raise your hand in greeting and welcome

not in anger

stand tall

be thankful

be kind

protect those more vulnerable than your self

for abuse turns one into a fool

live your life well

so that when you return to the Sacred

it feels like going home

to the warm embrace of one who loves rather

rather than like a fearful journey (where you constantly look back over your shoulder)

into a place are a stranger

Live each day so filled with Sacred Presence,

so connected to the holy

that you greet the night with a peaceful heart

and can greet that great night we call death,

as if it is just the close

of another fine day