How does one measure the intentions of a life? 


This is a question that Tekatsi: tsia' kwa Katsi Cook (Wolf Clan, Mohawk Nation, New York) asks in her introduction to Worlds within Us, a book rich with the voices of eight Native American women elders.

Each elder represents a distinct nation, a community, a family, and an individual carrying the history, wisdom, and traditions of generations. They share their very personal life stories with us, inviting readers to reflect on their own lives.

Whether from present-day Alaska, the American Southwest, the Great Plains, or upstate New York, what each elder brings to readers is unflinching honesty, but also common values, common problems, and above all the common desire to assist in the transformation of others through the example of their own extraordinary lives.

As we read one story after the other it becomes apparent that each one adds a new layer to a narrative arc and little by little we begin to discern a pattern, a coherence, a tapestry being formed, connecting experiences and creating a bigger story. A story with a single beating heart, a life force that Cheyenne leader Gail Small perceptively defines in her foreword: "Healing and forgiveness are centered in each women's life. If they can heal and forgive, the rest of the world should at least know their stories ... and learn from them ... This is the reciprocal process of being invited to listen and learn from tribal elders."

By accepting this gift, this invitation to listen and learn from the words of Worlds within Us, you become part of that process of reciprocity. Just as they will enter your heart with their stories, you, as their audience, will enter theirs. And nothing would be more powerful in expressing that reciprocal gratitude for the lessons learned than to, paraphrasing Gail Small, work toward a better future and dedicate our lives to creating a more loving and balanced world.