Indian Summer!

View from The Metacomet Trail

Growing up here in the North East my childhood was filled with names taken from the Native Americans who once roamed these places.

Streets, towns, lakes, beaches and even businesses carry the Natives Americans names.

Many of the things we said would not be considered appropriate today for example:

Indian sunburn -that's when you put your two hands on someones arm and twist in opposite directions squeezing the skin so it turns red.

Gave my sister more then a few of those.

Another term we used was:

Indian giver- which is when someone gives you a gift and then takes it back.
Called my sister that more then a few times.

Now when my children speak of Indians they are almost always speaking of people from India. When they use the term to speak of Native Americans I always reinforce the politically correct terms. In fact it is through studying with my kids I have learned most of what I know about the Natives from this area. I am happy to say they learn a much more realistic account of events.

In school I was taught about the Native Americans but it was always about the happy Indians who helped the pilgrims teaching them to hunt turkeys and sharing their corn, who all sat around one big table sharing a meal. Then freely gave their land away.

The purpose of all this talk was because today I was thinking about Indian Summer. Which is a couple of days of warm calm weather after the first freeze. It usually occurs at the end of October or the beginning of November. It's my favorite part of fall and I am hoping to experience it soon!

I'm happy when I say Indian summer it means nothing negative to my children. I hope they remember the Native Americans who first inhabited this land with reverence and respect. That as well rounded children they learn that humans can live in peace and should not be judged by their appearance. There is a place for all no matter their beliefs.

We are all spirit children of a father who loves us.