Story Before Time
This is a story, before time was time, before Grandfather Sun and Grandmother Moon had grandchildren to watch over, nurture and protect and when Grandfather Rock was just a young untested warrior. It is a story which begins when Mother Earth was young, empty and alone—a story which has no beginning and no end. I only tell what I know of the story, so that others may listen and maybe reflect as they continue upon their journey called life.
As a young girl, Mother Earth instinctively began to dance sun-wise, a sacred direction, to the beat of her heart while wearing her fancy shawl of star dust—twinkling, darting and colliding—across her shoulders. Grandmother Moon danced too, leading the dance, showing Mother Earth sacred motions—tilting, spinning and swaying—to the drumming of her daughter's heart and tempering her movements.
The dance has subtle movements and gestures which are not easily learned and Grandmother showed patience for her daughter when Mother Earth grew tired of dancing and would tremble with aggravation. So violently, that Grandfather Rock would be thrown to the ground with thunderous impacts that reshaped the surface of Mother Earth—creating the great mountains that climb into the sky, rolling hills, sheltered valleys with rich delta’s and flattening wind swept plains—this caused the waters to recede from much of the land and collect in what is now the great oceans.
Grandfather Sun looked proudly upon his daughter, the golden buffalo robe he wore cut through the darkness lighting her way, showering her with its warmth and comforting her from the chill of night.
At first ice ebbed and flowed or the great oceans overflowed and covered the surface of Mother Earth. Slowly Mother Earth began to understand the sacred movements, and as she did, the seasons began to change. Then as Mother Earth became comfortable with dancing rain, wind, snow, clouds and warmth would gather at the tops of the mountains and begin their journey to the valleys below. In time the seasons stabilized to what we have today.
Mother Earth’s actions did not go unnoticed by the creator, he watched—un-noticed from a distance—as Grandfather and Grandmother taught their daughter by example, explanations and with encouragement. They allowed their daughter to make mistakes and to learn from them. Creator saw that Mother Earth was preparing herself—even if she did not know it—to nurture, protect and teach the children who would, in time, become our ancestors. Creator was pleased with Grandfather and Grandmother too, for teaching their daughter to listen to the drumming of her heart-beat and to dance.