I went for a walk, I had things on my mind, I always do.

The short trip to the river turned into something else.

I walked far and buried myself deep within the trees and forest growth.

I sat beneath a tall and sturdy pine and I waited.

I knew it would come, whatever is was I was looking for.

I began to think of something I had seen, a video about how the government uses media to lie to us all.

It's hard to know what to believe anymore. So many lies have been told over the years.

Government has served us big heaping plates of bullshit and have called it steak.

Over time they have given it eye appeal, changed it's look and served it up free of charge.

Many have become converts, they bought the illusion and became devout believers.

By now, the layers of lies are so deep and the truth so buried, it's hard to know what or who to believe anymore.

People close to you, ones you have called friends call it truth and wonder at your doubt,

or try to convince you that by focusing on light, the darkness will fade away.

Sure, if everyone does it.

But, while they were oming and staring into the sun, there are those who took advantage of their stillness.

The wolves in the herd that spread mists of illusion and practiced their dark arts of lies and deciet.

Lies have a long reach, they can travel great distances and take many followers along the way.

The sun blind follow.

The wind stirred and and a butterfly landed on a blade of grass not far from me.

"This is the truth", I heard a voice say, "This small one is no lie".

I let my eyes focus on kamama ... the butterfly.

I am not here to waste time judging others, I think.

I let my mind wander to a time with my father.

I was the child of his old age...  kamama he called me, born to the butterfly in the month of May,

always moving and stirring the air...

and he had things he wanted to tell me before he left.

He did this by walking the forest and streams with me and telling me stories.

It is natural that he comes to mind in this quiet and gentle place in the forest.

My thoughts went to the lake and sitting in a boat, just the two of us.

he had woken me before the sun came up to go fishing with him.

I always wondered why we couldn't meet the fish at lunchtime, but I never asked him that

Those quiet times with him, taught me how to be still inside myself, how to figure things out

how to observe the real world around me, the one full of truth.

I have stood beside my father when he raised his voice against government lies and injustice,

and I have walked the Red path beside him

I learned the ways of the Medicine wheel,

that cosmic compass that shows balance, creation and the pathways to truth.

I sat there remembering him  and me .. together

and turning over in  my head ... what is truth in this world?

A voice answered:

If you live truthfully, you will know truth when you see it

Carry a shovel, for you will have to dig for it

It is buried deep, but it is there

And the more people that live truth, and seek it, the easier the digging becomes,

because they share the task.

When you find it, grab it, hold on to it

protect it. live it.

And never stop looking for it.

I trust in grass roots beginnings.

Where people come together and talk, examine and even raise their voices

I like when the community shows up with their shovels

and dig together.

This dung heap of a mess we live in now ... just turn the soil over, start over

begin again.

Start in the direction of the East, the place of the rising sun,

germination and regeneration.

I watched as the butterfly let the wind lift it from the grass

It danced and whirled in the sunlight

Walk light, ride the wind

My father is gone now, but he's is around

and we still talk.