The Story of CROE

A story of a young Native boy's dream of coming into manhood.

              Every year around this time, the great skies above choose a leader. It's instant and painful or so I hear, but I think it would be a small price to pay to have respect come my way. 

              I had dreampt of being a leader for all of my young life. This year, I'm turning thirteen years old. I feel that it's my time. I'm wishing and hoping to be chosen. Every chance I get, I go outside to check the skies. No clouds for weeks. Still, I keep hoping.

My dreams and visions are more intense than ever before. My mother prays to the Great Spirit that my dreams become reality. In order to get in touch with the Great Spirit, I go off on my own to pray and play my drum in order to feel more connected to the spirit who had made my soul.

                As I play my drum strapped to my side in the only location I knew I wouldn't be bothered, beneath the light of the setting sun, my drumming quieted down and I began to plead the Great Spirit's presence. I played and prayed for truly a great amount of time, and without warning, after the sun reached passed the mountains, I see a blinding and glorious light that dimmed and a person appeared. It was an elder from my past.
"Croe, my dear, come forward.." With the look on my face, I was in pure shock and awe that this woman would choose to speak to me. I walked over to the edge of the mountain where she stood. I finally get the nerve to say something, but she already knew what I wanted to say and spoke for me. "Croe, I am your ancestor from before your mother, I am your grandmother. You are here because you want the gift, am I right?"

         I nodded "You can rest assured that you are already a leader! You have so many great qualities which you never notice because you distract yourself with fantasy over reality: you truly have it all, but what you need is confidence! Here, take this, (she takes off a ring of hers and hands it to him) This will light your way home, I am pleased to be your ancestor. Go home and tell your mother that I said I am proud of her that she raised you well."
With excitement, I thanked my ancestor and went running home with my grandmother's ring shining the way and my drum bouncing behind me.

"Mother, Mother!!" 
My mother worried about my disappearance, came and gave me the squeeze of my lifetime. "Look, Look!!"
My mother's eyes were wide and as big as the moon.
"Where did you get this, son?!"
"I prayed to the Great Spirit and he brought grandmother to me!!" She told me to tell you how proud she is  of you raising me the way you did- isn't that great??!"

Tears of joy fell from my mother's eyes as she held the moon ring. "Thank you, son! it was the greatest surprise of my lifetime." "She said that I'm already a true leader! Isn't that wonderful?!"
"Yes son, it truly is!"

The times of the lightning dance came and this time I didn't care whether or not The Great Spirit touched me.

But.....

I wanted to dance anyway.

The lightning came after the thunder-roll and it was heading my way! I closed my eyes and went to the ground. The Great Spirit told me to hold out my arms and I grew wings as a Phoenix. I got up from the heavenly ground and started soaring through the clouds and trees of this wonderful new world.
Instead of accepting the gift of The Great Spirit, I told him that I would much rather be humble and of good spirit than be a leader on the outside view- that I'd rather have the heart of a leader. I would rather have a full spirit and full of love than live a life different and separated from my people."

-FIN-

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This Story Written By:

Dannielle M. Mechling

Author's Note

DREAM AWAY>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>