Gratitude & Giving Sweetness
If you’ve received a jar of honey, this sweet message is for you.
What are you feeling thankful for today?
At Wilderness Youth Project, we’ve been inspired by the teachings of Chief Jake Swamp, Wolf Clan leader of the Mohawk Nation and founder of the Tree of Peace Society. Chief Swamp shared the Thanksgiving Address—a reminder to begin each day in gratitude for the gifts of the Earth: the waters, plants, animals, winds, and stars. After each offering of thanks, the people say, “Now our minds are one.”
In 2024, we planted our own Tree of Peace near WYP headquarters, with the blessing of Chief Swamp’s daughter, Leona Swamp. This evergreen stands as a living symbol of peace, gratitude, and connection.
This season, we’re sharing that message with you—along with a small jar of sweetness.
Each jar of honey is a symbol of community, reciprocity, and care, gathered through quiet, collective work.
We invite you to:
- Give thanks for the gifts around you
- Share your honey and this message with someone you love
- Pause and notice the beauty of the world that sustains us
“Now our minds are one.”
An Excerpt from Chief Jake Swamp’s Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message
“To be a human being is an honor, and we offer thanksgiving for all the gifts of life.
Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue.
We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and with all living things.
So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people.
Now our minds are one.
We give thanks to our Mother Earth, who gives us everything we need for life.
To the waters that quench our thirst and carry our canoes.
To the plants and animals who share their lives so we may live.
To the sun, moon, and stars who light our way.
And to the Creator, for the gift of all these things.
Now our minds are one.”
(Excerpt adapted from “Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message,” by Chief Jake Swamp, illustrated by Erwin Printup Jr., 1995.)