Sunday, January 12, 2014

Cherokee Legend of Becoming A Man


Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youths' rite of Passage?


His father takes him 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 wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat
stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his
Blindfold.


It was 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.

I don't know who wrote this, but I loved it and wanted to share.  I also can't verify this is truly the Cherokee legend, but isn't it a great story? It shows the perfect love of a father trying to teach his son, making him do what is necessary but always being there by his side just in case.
As we go into the new year, may 2014 bring you everything wonderful. May you find that perfect love that will help you along the way but still allow you to grow.
 
K. R. Bailey
www.KRBailey.com