Hide From Winter

This bank is located on the southern elbow of the North Saskatchewan River, homeland to the Plains Cree. This hide is a deposit made for the... more

by Gordon J Weber

Title

Hide From Winter

Artist

Gordon J Weber

Medium

Painting - Acrylic On Canvas

Description

This bank is located on the southern elbow of the North Saskatchewan River, homeland to the Plains Cree. This hide is a deposit made for the future.

Quite likely our earliest banking system involved preparing for the change of seasons. Imagine an existence with only trees or bush for shelter. The winds of November tell your nerve endings to prepare for death. Everything you do is vital. Something you do not do could mean death. Only what you do will let you survive.

Imagine living six thousand years ago...yes, you are here because of those people who survived... out there on the riverbank, carved by the sweep of the last glacier. You must necessarily bank from the abundance of summer to stave off the kill of winter.

The hide of a deer, caribou, moose, bear, fox, even a rabbit can mean the difference between life and death. Unadorned, a deer can survive a winter storm, back to the wind. You cannot. You take the hide that protects the deer to protect yourself from winter. Is this a proper action? If you do not, you die. If you do, you live. If you respect this difference, you necessarily respect the spirit of the deer who gives you this hide.

You live only because of the death of other living things. This is where respect, gratitude and humility are founded. Show the Creator your gratitude by respecting all living things, every day, and be prudent with your deposits.

Uploaded

January 29th, 2015