Prayer of Tecumseh

[eisely]

Wife and I went to see Act of Valor last night, a movie which I highly recommend. Among other things the movie is a great recruitment piece for our navy.

 

Towards the end of the movie one of the seals writes a letter to his son and incorporates this prayer from Chief Tecumseh. This would be awesome for Scout's Own or a Scoutmaster Minute. Just had to share.

 

Prayer follows:

_________________________________________________

 

So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.

 

Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.

 

When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

 

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.

 

Chief Tecumseh (Crouching Tiger) Shawnee Nation 1768-1813

 

[howarthe]

That's really beautiful, but according to wiki quote, it might have been Sitting Bull or Crazy Horse that said those words.

 

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Tecumseh

 

Here's another quote I like very much:

 

Brothers, we all belong to one family; we are all children of the Great Spirit; we walk in the same path; slake our thirst at the same spring; and now affairs of the greatest concern lead us to smoke the pipe around the same council fire! Brothers, we are friends; we must assist each other to bear our burdens.(This message has been edited by howarthe)