 Rhonda
Louise Flood in wheelchair With sister Kharis E. Flood, September 1989.
Acts of Courage are not always performed in
such a way as to receive honors or medals. The act of pushing on into the
public eye when one is severely disabled has to be faced in a daily way
for that person's total life time. Even the strongest and bravest,
happiest, and most pleasant personality have days when they would just
rather not put up with some of the impossible circumstances involved. This
opening of a new ramp on the side of the library was a great thrill to
Rhonda since she was not able to have access to the building before this.
This is a picture out of the local paper recording the event.
Today the disabled are coming to the fore
in their being able to give something of themselves back to society and
this is right. Thirty-five years ago this was not true. There wasn't even
a thought of a person needing special helps to get into just a restaurant.
It has been our experience that there is more involved in the presence of
a disabled person to a group. People become more thoughtful. They seem
more willing to count their blessing and to be thankful for what they
have. Name giving, continued:
Rhonda I give this name to you,
Wahk-Chah-Skah, White Flower, because you are special. Your family loves
and cares deeply for you. You have had many trials to go through with your
living but you will continue to be held as precious by your family. I give
this name to you, White Flower, Wahk-Chah-Skah.
Pat Braden spoke to Mark, "Mark, I am
honored by your family and since I am of the Osage tribe, I give you the
Osage name, Pah-Hahn-Kah, Ska, White Ponca. From now on when you go among
your people you will be known and called by this name, Ponca Skah."
As was the custom, gifts were brought and
bestowed on the name givers.
The family and guests were touched by the
seriousness with which Alicia accepted her name, by Rhonda's tears when
she accepted her name, and by the appreciation and love Kay showed for her
name giver. They were touched by the tenderness, Mark showed his sister
Rhonda. The sacred ways of the people were brought home by the name giving
of the young people. |
