Recently I was able to go to Arizona and witness an Apache sunrise ceremony. It is a young woman's coming of age ceremony. It is a cross between a spiritual celebration and a test of endurance and strength of will. The young girls who begin the 4 day event definitely are strong young women when they finish. Supported by family, friends, and community they are pushed to new limits and hopefully emerge with the knowledge that they are physically and mentally stronger then they realized, that the support they have will be there in the future and that they now know where to find that inner strength to face any of life's challenges.
Never having been tested like that I do not know how I would have done. I would like to think I would have been able to make it. Heidi, the young lady above, should definitely be proud of herself. I am very impressed by her and wouldn't be surprised to see her do amazing thing in her future.
