26 A night of Fear



A Night of Fear.

The Cherokee Indian father takes his son into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him.

Maybe even some human might do him harm. The winds blew the grass, and the earth shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removed the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! This was an important rite for him and all other young men his age.

Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appears, and he removed his blindfold. It is then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, all need at some point to make some difficult steps. But it is good to know that we have friends and family, sitting on the stump beside us.

When trouble comes, and things get difficult we need somebody to reach out to. We also can be the person that sits on the stump for others. Allowing them the freedom to be and to make mistakes, but to know they can reach out if need be and you will be there. Friends need to become stump sitters.
   


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