Nature Thoughts

"The Lakota (Sioux) was a true naturist--a lover of nature... The old Lakota was wise. He knew that man's heart away from nature becomes hard; he knew

that lack of respect for growing, living things soon led to lack of respect for humans too."

(Chief Luther Standing Bear)

. (Thanks to Scouter Larry Hemeryck, who sent us the Afterword to Song of the Paddle, by Bill Mason, from which this quote is excerpted.)

We could do an immense service to our world if we would let nature heal, counsel and teach again."

(Henri Nouwen, Clowning in Rome)

And won't we all be better off when we can see

"Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,

Sermons in stones, and good in everything."

(Shakespeare, As You Like It)