The Ceremony, Granting Mistie’s wish

The first weekend I saw Mistie cry, was while the boys were playing for her. She had always wanted a band house in the middle of nowhere. Since she is in hospice at her home in La Pine (out in the middle of nowhere), Hawk, Dru and Alder were able to deliver. She cried while they played “Still” for the last time ever. We all agreed to sacrifice something that was a part of ourselves for her.

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Before leaving, Mistie tearfully requested we find someone who is Native American to perform a ceremony. I tracked down my friend Chrissy, who was happy to do it for me, so I brought her up there.

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Mistie had wanted the whole family to be there for it, but Alder, Jade, Jason, Dru and Jenny were all sick, so it was just me, Hawk, Chrissy, Mistie, Vincent and two gals with a little girl that I hadn’t met before (and I already forgot their names).

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Hawk had created a cleansing path. Chrissy wore her regallia. She used sage. I had collected yellow and red cloth for prayer bags and cut the cloth into 4x4in squares. Sage was collected and Hawk contributed to loose leaf tobacco to go into the prayer bags. We all put some of our hair into them to. We tied the bags up with string and took them with us on the path.

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Hawk helped Mistie walk the path.

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Fortunately, it was a sunny and fairly warm day. Mistie wore a white night gown that made her look like an angel (even as frail and sick as she is). She was sporting white mocassins that Chrissy let her borrow since she had an extra pair.

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The path wove around through the brush and trees and into a circular maze in a clearing where two pictures were placed in the center. One was of Mistie’s mother and the other was of Mistie in her youth.

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During our walk on the path, Chrissy asked us to summon our guiding spirits to join us and aid Mistie. The idea is that Mistie’s soul travels to the proper destination safely and without getting lost. (I’m agnostic, so it’s something I don’t really attribute to my own beliefs, but I’m respecting them).

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The Wolf, Polar Bear and Elephant joined me. Wolf came from the South and joined me to my left, The Polar Bear Came from the North and joined me to my right and the Elephant came from the West and walked behind. I felt protected and at Ease.

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These are the animals I imagined because of life long dreams about them. The wolf was more predominant in my pre-adolesence and the Polar Bear was more present during my adolesence. Since post adolesence, it has been the Elephant. I know it’s not traditionally an Native American animal since it’s not of this continent (unless you want to count Wooly Mamoths).

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I imagined the elephant playfully gently tapping and nudging me with its trunk.

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Chrissy lead with Hawk and Mistie following, I made myself last. I couldn’t hear all of what she was saying. I suppose it didn’t matter because it wasn’t for me. I closed my eyes a lot. The walk was really slow since Hawk had support his and most of Mistie’s weight.

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After the circular maze, the path led to a fire burning in a round pit that Jason had made. That is where we tied the prayer bags to a leather string. Whenever the rest can make it up, they are to walk the path with the prayer bags they make and then tie them to the string.

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Mistie was smiling big. She thanked me over and over again (thanked Chrissy too). Hawk said it was perfect and thanked Chrissy and I repeatedly as well.

Chrissy also thanked me and I couldn’t thank her enough.

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She unfortunately got a speeding ticket on the way back home. I’m still thinking about what I want to do for her as a thank you.

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I’m glad I could do it for her.

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I’m sorry I didn’t describe more, but I’m choking up. I think I might read, write, play some more video games and go to bed early tonight.