The Northern Cheyenne are called the Morning Star people. Their elder John Woodenlegs has said:
“As the morning star has been our guiding light, so it will give us life in our hearts and will guide us in days to come…”
It was Chief Dull Knife who, over 100 years ago, led his people to their relocation in Montana – a sad and desperate day for the Cheyenne. They gave him the name of Wohehiv, or Morning Star, for he was their guiding light in a time of need.
In this modern day, the Cheyenne of the Morning Star have yet again a great leader in Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. He has given us the following wise words:
“The cost of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment. The cost of apathy is the greatest because the cost of apathy is failure.”
I was pondering the words of this great man tonight as I walked along the moonlit beach of Oregon, looking up at the Evening Star, which is also the Morning Star. As in the traits of good leadership, this star we know as Venus is the first to rise and the last to leave its post.
It is not easy to fly with the flocks of birds once you have flown on higher thermals and seen with the eyes of the eagle. In the silence of the dizzy heights, there are no squabbles, only peace.
But from this lofty vantage point, one can also clearly see that there is no choice but the highest choice. With vision, leadership must follow – they are two sides of the same coin…
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