Russ,
While I was gone tonight at a quilt guild meeting, I thought of you. I am sure I told you somewhere along the line that I am a quilt designer. I picked up the passion in '93 when I was over in London and saw a quilt hanging off of a 3rd story balcony in the Liberty dept. store. Nothing would do but that I get home and make that quilt. Before that time, I allowed a machine that my mother had given to me to rust from nonuse (truth). Well.... my quilting evolved from there. I thought of you tonight because instead of being mentally present at the meeting, I'm still kinda at Vision Quest. I thought, if you didn't mind, I'd like to continue to write some of the stories that happened this past weekend.

I can't remember about what I have told you (about some of the ceremonies) so if I repeat myself, please forgive that right up front. If I've left something out, please feel free to ask questions.

One of my favorite all-time people is a lady named Karla. She's a youngster and has been under Tu Bear's and my wings for some time now. She is one of two of our main singers. Her voice is incredible.... it mimics how beautiful she is inside and out. At last year's Sundance, she and Ellen (our other main singer) walked right up to the group that was doing the singing and drumming for the dance and asked if they could sing along with them. Now.... this actually is a faux pas as traditionally, the singers and drummers are men only. But them not knowing any different and because the drumming group was short-handed, they let them sing along. Before long, these two were the bright stars. From that point on, they have learned many Lakota songs and will once again be singing at this year's Sundance. HUGE Smile.

Karla has many issues. It's not important that I go into detail with you but it is important that you understand she has a very heavy heart. She was one of the visioners this past weekend. All weekend, I couldn't shake her from my thoughts and feelings. I cried buckets of tears for her. I felt her so sharply that it was even difficult to say her name without this flood of emotion. I felt our connection clearly.

One time during the late, late evening (maybe midnight) Thursday night, I felt her ask me to pray for her. So, I went into Lodge and .... interestingly enough.... her soon to be ex wanted to come into the Lodge with me. Now these two have maintained an open relationship between them. Their split has affected our tribe but I honor them in that they still treat one another with kindness. Still though.... it's hard. But I couldn't and wouldn't deny his request.

Almost from the beginning of the sweat.... Mark and I began to both pray for Karla. We both had felt her tears and her need for support. It was amazing how we were absolutely *on the same page* in that sweat.

Then on Saturday, the rest of the support crew showed up. Ladd (my Lakota brother) and a few of my other tribal friends had come to help us help the visioners. Once again, Tu Bears asked me to lead that first sweat with all of us present. (To be honest with you, I was a little shocked. Ladd is the one she has depended upon in the past to do this for her when she was unable to. They had a minor falling out a while back but to not ask him to lead the sweat was pretty surprising to me.) I said, No problem. I gathered them up, told them what order to come into the Sweat Lodge and then I crawled in. Mark was to firetend and would be bringing us the (very) hot rocks. At the beginning of each round, the sweat leader tells the firetender how many rocks they should bring. As he began to bring the rocks, I felt strongly that each person inside the lodge should in turn tell what or who each rock holds the heat for. Because Mark was part of the group, even though he wasn't inside the lodge, I asked him to name a stone as well when it came his turn.

In the 4 (or 5?) instances where I would name a stone, then when it was his turn (which was right after mine) to name a stone, he repeated the name of the person or whatever (hope, love, sight, insight, children in each of us, on and on) EXACTLY as I had named them. Now remember, he's outside the lodge and can't hear what's going on inside. Those of us inside the lodge which heard both exchanges were in awe. But I wasn't.

In that very first Lodge where he and I sat and prayed for one person and were of one mind, to me it was obvious we still maintained that close connection. But still it was pretty amazing. You could discount maybe once or twice as coincidence..... but not 4 or 5 times, which was the case.

Our Karla? She came down off the hill still heavy of heart. Mark will be leaving after Sundance to go off to Switzerland to teach in an American school over there for a year. Karla, who left him, is now having to come to terms with her decision. She will. And in this next year, both she and Mark will grow by leaps and bounds. I 'know' it.

The final piece in this is that last year, Mark and Karla took turns driving my Jeep to Sundance in Utah. They chauffeured me. Smile. This year, they again will be taking turns chauffeuring me to Sundance. I love them both... very much. I bet I get a real ear full from each of them. They won't be 'telling' on the other though.... I wouldn't tolerate it but then that's not their way anyway. But I will hear their fears and feelings. I wonder what that drive will bring..... ?