The Education of Little Tree

     I just finished reading a great book. It's a book about a big world and yet very small at the same time. The book was the first of it's kind. It was a book that spoke to my heart. The closest I have ever heard this language was My Uncle Lyman. He was the one in the family keeping alive our Cherokee heritage. When I was in 5th grade, he made me my first pair of moccasins. They had the sign of the harvest moon on them and I promptly wore them off my feet. Other than that, nobody ever taught me to love the outdoors with all my heart and soul; somehow I was born with it inside of me.
     The book is about a boy, orphaned at the age of 6. He gets adopted by his Cherokee grandmother and half-Cherokee grandfather in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee. He learns life lessons YOU should only dream of. The book was written so well, I actually traded places with Little Tree by the end of the book. If you read it, and it hammers your heart, you'll know what I mean. I plan to get a few copies of the book and give them out as cherished gifts.  
With only 4 chapters left in the book, I decided to start the night off with a soak in the hot tub, star gazing. I wasn't out 30 minutes when I saw the biggest and most spectacular meteoroid, smash into the earth's atmosphere. It hit hard and exploded with bronze fire works as it tried ti sear it's way to earth. As if fighting for it's very survival, it continued to burrow with all it's mite as the sparks erupted and encircled it as though it wore a glittering crown of fire. I decided to get out of the tub as the sheer spectacle could never be topped, at least not tonight. As I curled up on the couch to read, the North star was framed up by my front window and the full moon popped up over the mountains out the other. A great finish, a crescendo, if you will.
     The book was a gift from my mother. She had received it in the mail from a close mutual friend of ours. He had purchased it as a Christmas present of another friend Bart Berry (Maj.-ret) U.S.Army. I met Bart when I was much younger. He was Military Chaplin in the Army, serving from 1966 to 1992. During his 26 year career with the United States Army, he was the recipient of numerous medals and commendations for his service including the Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with three stars and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation.

     Bart died Oct. 11, 2011. He never got the book. The last time I saw Bart, he gave me one of his prized possessions, meerly because I said I liked it. Bart was one of those people that has contributed to my saying, never underestimate your ability to influence someone. You don't always get to pick who, where or when.

     In the book, Little Tree's grandpa explains what "I kin ye" means. He says it's sort of like, "I love you", but more like "I understand you". He says if you don't understand someone, you can't love them.