I am reading a book called "the Lakota Way --stories and lessons for living." It talks of perseverance as being a necessary virtue. It is true, "anyone can persevere", but the next words in the book really struck me. It says that perseverance is necessary because "many times it is the only answer, the only course of action left." Jesus when he gave his sermon on the Beatitudes was saying just that. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted, blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth, blessed are those who hunger for thirst and righteousness, for they will be filled, blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God, blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons and daughters of God. This is about perseverance because when you are mourning or hungering for justice, you have to remember what Gods says will come. Justice will come. Comfort will come.

There are times in our lives that we just can't see ahead, when the words of the Bible are meaningless to us, when God does not seem to care, when we want to walk away and never look back. But Jesus, the Christ, says blessed are you when you feel like that, when your spirit is poor, for you have the kingdom of heaven.

Keep going, perseverance is the last thing that you have. Don't give up.

Don't let your spirit let go of perseverance when you have reached your limit, when there is a wall that you can't climb, or you can't knock down. When the road ends, and you can't find the way. Perseverance keeps us moving, gets us out of bed each day when we would rather hide under the covers. It awakens us and enhances all that we are. It keeps us reaching and striving despite sickness, pain, or despair. It is indeed a virtue of the Lakota, a virtue needed by all of us.