I know Great Spirit is looking down upon me from above, and will hear what I say.
Sitting BullRead
For us, warriors are not what you think of as warriors. The warrior is not someone who fights, because no one has the right to take another life. The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices himself for the good of others. His task is to take care of the elderly, the defenseless, those who can not provide for themselves, and above all, the children, the future of humanity.
Interpretation
True warriors are those who selflessly care for others rather than those who engage in violence.
Sitting Bull's quote redefines the concept of a warrior, emphasizing that it is not about fighting or taking lives, but rather about serving and protecting those who cannot protect themselves. The true essence of a warrior lies in selflessness, compassion, and the willingness to sacrifice for the betterment of others, especially the vulnerable members of society such as the elderly and children, who represent the future of humanity.
In practice
In a speech about community service, one might use this quote to inspire others to help those in need.
I know Great Spirit is looking down upon me from above, and will hear what I say.
I want to tell you that if the Great Spirit had chosen anyone to be the chief of this country, it is myself.
Is it wrong for me to love my own? Is it wicked for me because my skin is red? Because I am Sioux? Because I was born where my father lived? Because I would die for my people and my country?
When I was a boy, the Sioux owned the world. The sun rose and set on their land; they sent ten thousand men to battle. Where are the warriors today? Who slew them? Where are our lands? Who owns them?
Therefore, I do not wish to consider any proposition to cede any portion of our tribal holdings to the Great Father.
I wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle.
You have two options when you approach a hostile checkpoint in a war zone, and each is a gamble. The first is to stop and identify yourself as a journalist and hope that you are respected as a neutral observer. The second is to blow past the checkpoint and hope the soldiers guarding it don't open fire on you.
Our Southside is a place apart: each piece of our living is a protest.
It's hard for me to describe the joy I felt after I stood up and rode wave in for the first time after the attack. I was incredibly thankful and happy inside. The tiny bit of doubt that would sometimes tell me you'll never surf again was gone in one wave.
Whether trauma will be a cruel and punishing Gorgon or a vehicle for soaring to the heights of transformation and mastery depends upon how we approach it.
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived; behind that facade is heartache, unhappiness and pain. .. YOU be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow.
If we define risk as 'the likelihood of an irreversible negative outcome,' inaction is the greatest risk of all.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.