Chicago is supposed to be the windiest city in the United States. Perhaps the evaluators have never spent much time in Oklahoma. As you know, it can get pretty windy here.

Wind, like most elements, isn't always bad, doesn't always cause destruction and it certainly is a valuable commodity to those with sailboats: depends on your frame of reference.

After working in the yard recently and becoming drenched in sweat, the light breeze that caught me as I rested under a tree was a welcomed relief. It seemed to stir the air just enough to provide me some much needed comfort. Wind was good that day.

I am sure if you ask the people in Florida what they think about wind, you'd get a totally different response.

There are many myths about wind: for fishermen, water skiers, American Indians, Mythology, ghosts, even a reference or two in the Bible about Jesus calming the raging seas. I must admit, I've battled my own raging seas lately.

There are many "winds" that blow us all around. I am sure you have yours, too. Your attempts to steady the boat, get back on course or just sail or drift aimlessly probably mirror my own experiences. We've all been there. We've all been knocked down and drug around. We've been slammed into things we had no knowledge of, forced to hang on when there simply wasn't much strength left, but we survived.

Maybe it's the location of this air that we need to be concerned about. Maybe it isn't so much about the winds we deal with but more about which directions they come from.

				East gives peace and light
				South gives warmth
				West gives rain and the
				North with it's cold and mighty wind
				teaches strength and endurance.
						--Black Elk

Whatever your circumstances this week, remember to give thanks to the Divine Spirit for the Four Directions. We need them all on our journey home.