AHO!

Great Spirit, Almighty Healer and Creator of all things that surround us, it is with humbled hearts that we gather to offer up many thanks. So often we have taken things for granted and have not opened our eyes to the beauty that you have created. We send this prayer of thanks for the many blessings and gifts you have given. We thank you for the storms of life that give us strength to our spirit. We thank you for the rains that shower thirsty lands. We thank you for the lightning that provides the nitrates for a fertile soil. We thank you for the sacredness of the seasonal cycle, the four colors and the four corners. We thank you for the sacred circles found throughout the Universe to the bird nests among the trees. We thank you for the trees that supply us with the air to breathe. For the rushing waters flowing from the snow-capped mountains that hydrate our aging bodies, we thank you. We thank you for the calmness of the lakes and oceans in the early morning hours. We thank you for the smell of the salt air as we stand upon the shore, watching the gracefulness of the waves gently moving across the sand.

We thank you for the many miracles you have brought to your children. We thank you for the many herbs and plants that supply us with cures for our diseases and disorders. We thank you for the precious gift of life. We thank you for our Elders that teach us the importance of life and overcoming the impossible. May we give them the respect they deserve. We thank you for our children that show us the innocence and lessons we have long forgotten. May we erect an unbreakable foundation for our children to build upon. We thank you for family and friends that support us in our time of need. We thank you for the spirit that connects all living things. We thank you for the wisdom we find in our hearts. We thank you for our ancestors that continue to watch over us and give us the answers we need. We thank you for your forgiveness when we have brought dishonor to you. We thank you for your strength and your guidance as we stand against those that continue to wantonly destroy your creation.

We thank you for the early morning dew as it drips from the leaves. We thank you for Grandfather Sun as he send us warmth and light. We thank you for Grandmother Moon as she watches over us during our slumber. We thank you for Father Sky as he protects us throughout the day and night. We thank you for Mother Earth as she gives us all we need to survive. We thank you for all two-leggeds, four-leggeds, swimmers, fliers and crawlers that interact with us each day. We thank you for the beauty of the wolf, the grace of the horse, the power of the bear, and the strength of the eagle. May we take these qualities and bring back balance to an unbalanced world.