This is the legend of the cherokee Indian youths' rite of passage. It is said a young boys' father would take him out into the woods blindfolded and would leave him there throughout the night. The boy is required to sit on a stump in the woods throughout the night and is not to remove his blindfold until the rays of the sun shines through it. The young boy is all by himself and he can not cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night he has become a MAN. He must not share his experience with any of the other boys for each one must have their own experiences and each one must come into his own manhood. The young boy is terrified. He hears all kinds of noises in the night and the beasts are all around him. He is afraid that even some human will hurt him. The wind begins to blow the grass beneath him and it shakes the stump  that he sits upon. But, He sits there stoically, never removing the blindfold. It is the only way he can become a man. Hours and hours pass and finally his horror ends. The night sounds disappear and he feels the warmth of the sun upon his chilled and aching skin. It is then that he realizes the morning has come. He has made it through the night. He removes his blindfold. It is then that he sees his father sitting upon the stump next to him. His father had been sitting there with him the entire night lovingly watching over and protecting him.   We, like the young boy,are never alone... Even when we do not know it, Our father is protecting us.  He is sitting on the stump beside us.  All we have to do is take off our blindfolds. 

                                                 When these two become one...
                                                       You can move mountains.

The Wooden Bowl

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the  Wooden Bowl

tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year - old grandson.

The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

 

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and

failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.

When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
 'We must do something about father,' said the son.

'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.

There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.

Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.

Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped  a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.

He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded,

'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.
 ' The four-year-old smiled and  went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless.

Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.

Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and  gently  led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,

neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens,

how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things:

a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents,

you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life..'

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands.

You need to be able to throw something back

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you

But,  if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, 

your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you

I've learned that whenever I decide  something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.