Desert Messenger

6 www.DesertMessenger.com April 17, 2024 DESERT MESSENGER Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper Proud to be a Quartzsite Licensed Business 928-916-4235 O� T��� - E���� T���! Founded by Walt Akin October 1, 2004 P�������� �� P���� R��� P��������� C�. P.O. Box 3185 Quartzsite, AZ 85359 NOW PUBLISHED ONCE/MONTH on the 3rd Wednesday of each month OWNER/EDITOR/PUBLISHER GRAPHIC DESIGN/ AP AR MARKETING EXECUTIVE/CLASSIFIEDS Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Starr BearCat NAME PLATE DESIGN Paul Winer www.DesertMessenger.com www.DesertMessengerOnline.com E-mail: Editor@DesertMessenger.com 2024 © Copyright All Rights Reserved Copyright 2013 Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Desert Messenger. LIKE US on Facebook.com/ DesertMessengerNews FOLLOW US on Twitter @QuartzsiteRain By Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear QUARTZSITE ROCKS! EDITORIAL LETTERS TO EDITOR POLICY Desert Messenger encourages letters from its readers. Letters should be no longer than 300 words, and may be edited for grammar, content and length. OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THOSE OF THE DESERT MESSENGER. We invite you to not only see a problem, but search for the solution to share with the community, keeping the benefit of all in mind. Letters considered libelous, in poor taste, on a personal issue, mean spirited or dominated by Scripture quotes will not be published. Third party letters will not be accepted. To avoid confusion over people with common or similar names, writers must provide a full name and indicate the name they are known by. Writers must provide a full street address and phone number. Rvers can provide the location of park/BLM land, etc. Street addresses will not be published. Phone numbers are for verification only and will not be printed. Send letters to: Desert Messenger, P.O. Box 3185, Quartzsite, AZ 85359 or E-mail to: Editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 "Practice radical humility. Take no credit for your talents, intellectual abilities, aptitudes, or proficiencies. Be in a state of awe and bewilderment." ~ Wayne Dyer currence. Dr. Erin Leonard, a psy- chotherapist told South Bend, Ind. WNDU, "It's really fun to be united over something so positive and excit- ing and really kind of out there." She said, "No matter who you are or what you believe, one thing rings true — we are all on this planet together." This is what the indigenous peo- ples have been saying for centuries. We are all related. This day there was no political divide, no one arguing "it's us vs them." No one was saying, "I'm right, you're wrong." We were all just human beings enjoying the cosmological event together. The eclipse was a unifying mo- ment — one that I crave more of, as politics continues to divide us. A bit of history from the BBC: "Awe-inspiring events can power- fully infl uence our psychology." The date is 28 May, 585 BC, in what is now present-day Anatolia in Turkey. The Medes, an ancient people from modern-day Iran, and the Lydians – a kingdom from the south of modern-day Turkey – have been fi ghting for six years. Accord- ing to the Greek historian Herodo- tus, the war shows little sign of ending, with neither side making signifi cant progress. It will take a solar eclipse to end the bloodshed. "Just as the battle was growing warm, day was of sudden changed into night," Herodotus wrote. "The Medes and Lydians, when they observed the change, ceased fi ght- ing, and were alike anxious to have terms of peace agreed on." Oh, the awesomeness of being alive! Monday, April 8, 2024 was such a day! Even though Quartzsite was not in the path of totality of the solar eclipse, I sure felt the sa- cred feeling of wonder and awe as I watched the eclipse with some el- ders in our community. My Poi class at the Senior Center happened to coincide with "The Great American Eclipse" so I brought an old fash- ioned solar box that kinda worked, but thankfully Starr showed up with two pair of solar eclipse glasses. The glasses were passed around to the seniors and it was so much fun to watch their expressions. Even the transit riders took a moment to en- joy the cosmic event. It's not every day that folks get to feel being con- nected to each other. In addition to the spectacular view for millions of Americans, many are refl ecting on the spirit of unity felt while watching this astrological oc- So, what can we learn? Even brief moments of enhanced connection should be a welcome relief from the tensions in our everyday in- teractions. In this age of polarisa- tion and social division, we can at least fi nd common ground in our amazement at the Universe around us. And that's worth savouring. The next total solar eclipse with a coast-to-coast path spanning the lower 48 states will occur on Aug. 12, 2045. Let's not wait until then to remember how we are related to each other! Mitákuye Oyasiŋ is a phrase from the Lakota language. It refl ects the world view of interconnectedness held by the Lakota people of North America. The phrase roughly trans- lates in English as "all my relatives," "we are all related," or "all my rela- tions." It is a simple, yet profound statement of oneness and harmony with all forms of life; other peo- ple, animals, birds, insects, trees and plants, and even rocks, rivers, mountains and valleys. We would benefi t fi nding more of these moments to recognize our connection to each other. But, where to start? Chief Seattle taught that we are all a part of the Web of Life and that if I do something to you, then I do the same thing to myself. So help yourself, by doing something for a neighbor, a bird, a snake, a friend. Focus on what is good, not what political rhetoric is pushed daily. Do something positive to create the change you want to see in the world. Remember that gentle state of awesomesauce! Be present in the moment. Did you notice the sun ris- ing this morning? Remember this amazing world we live in. Celebrate the simple things and keep on be- ing kind to each other. "Be kind, be gentle, be helpful, be loving. And help where help is needed and everything will be okay." Uncle Eddie Little Crow- Lakota elder

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