We are not Alone” March 2011 There is a legend of the Cherokee rite of passage for young Indian boys. To become a man, a son was taken into the forest by his father, blindfolded, and left alone. The young man was supposed to spend the entire night alone. He was instructed to sit on a stump, not cry out for help, and not remove the blindfold until the early morning sunrays shone through the blindfold. Only then could the young Indian brave remove the blindfold to look around. While blindfolded, no doubt, even the swishing of the grass or the sound of the wind could take on an eerie quality. Perhaps the young man imagined wild animals lurking nearby just ready to attack him! After a long and terrifying night, the young boy removed the blindfold when the sunlight shone through, and he was a man! Until he removed the blindfold, the boy thought he had survived the night alone! But when the young man looked around the forest, he saw his father sitting on a stump right beside him! Only then did the young man realize that all through the night, his father had been right there, watching over him, protecting him! If you have experienced a loss, have battled an illness, or faced other challenges, perhaps you too have felt alone. After the loss of my husband a few years ago I wondered where God was—I did not feel God’s presence near. I felt alone, and life was unfamiliar and scary. It was hard to see any sunlight! If I had been given the luxury of "seeing" beyond my "blindfold," I would have seen that God was right there beside me in the dark—that He was there with me through the entire "night." In retrospect, I now realize God was looking out for me during the difficult times—through family, through neighbors, through friends who cared. Looking back, I recall the cards, the hugs, the homemade bread, and so many kindnesses from so many! No, I was not alone. If you feel alone, feel that no one cares; remember the story of the young Cherokee Indian boy—his dad was sitting right beside him in the dark the entire time! He was never alone, and neither are we! I wish comfort and healing for your heart—for you to realize you are not alone.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Jun 2013 20:37:52 +0000
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