After all the great religions have been preached and expounded, man is still confronted with the Great Mystery.

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.

We did not think of the great open plains, the beautiful rolling hills, and winding streams with tangled growth as wild. Earth was beautiful and we were surrounded with the blessings of the Great Mystery.

For the Lakota there was no wilderness. Nature was not dangerous but hospitable, not forbidding but friendly.

After all the great religions have been preached and expounded, man is still confronted with the Great Mystery.

Conversation was never begun at once, nor in a hurried manner. No one was quick with a question, no matter how important, and no one was pressed for an answer. A pause giving time for thought was the truly courteous way of beginning and conducting a conversation. Silence was meaningful with the Lakota, and his granting a space of silence to the speech-maker and his own moment of silence before talking was done in the practice of true politeness and regard for the rule that, "thought comes before speech."

The old Lakota was wise. He knew that a man's heart away from nature becomes hard.