So Live Your Life
By: Chief Tecumseh
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.
Tecumseh (born 1768, southeast of Old Chillicothe [north of modern Xenia, Ohio, U.S.]—died October 5, 1813, at 45 years old, near Thames River, Upper Canada [now in Ontario, Canada]) was a Shawnee Indian chief, orator, military leader, and advocate of intertribal Indian alliance who directed Indian resistance to white rule in the Ohio River valley.
And we know how that sad story ended as the generations succeeded.
Listen to the deeply felt words of this young man, retrieved from a profound well of wisdom.
You have no idea how much I needed to hear this today. Thanks.