Posted by TerryS (24.24.79.72) on November 11, 2000 at 10:39:17:
HEART TO HEART
In the 1960s, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration
team working on the Apollo moon mission took some astronauts to
Arizona, where the terrain of the Navajo Reservation looks very
much like the lunar surface. With all the trucks and large
vehicles were two figures that were dressed in full lunar
spacesuits.
NASA official Charles Phillip Whitedog tells that a Navajo sheep
herder and his son were watching the strange creatures walking
about. The father did not speak English and his son asked for him
what the strange creatures were. They were told that they were
astronauts training to go to the moon. The man became excited and
asked if he could send a message to the moon with the crew.
NASA personnel grabbed a tape recorder and the old Navajo spoke
into it. When asked to translate, his son refused. The NASA
people played the recording for other natives on the reservation,
each of whom smiled or chuckled and likewise refused to
translate. Finally, they paid someone to translate the sheep
herder's message:
"Watch out for these guys, they come to take your land."
World history is replete with examples of people "watching out"
for one another. But I believe today's world is learning the
value of keeping faith. One writer accurately says, "On the day
when we can fully trust each other, there will be peace on
earth."
Keeping faith is essential between nations and within nations. It
keeps the peace. Keeping faith is essential between companies and
their customers. It creates good will. And keeping faith is
essential between friends and within families. It builds bonds of
love that no amount of adversity can break. Invincible bonds are
forged upon the anvil of trust.
If people like you, they'll give you a hand. But if they trust
you, they'll give you their heart. And heart to heart, we can
face anything together.