Ben’s Strength

Eight-year-old Benjamin loved spending time in his treehouse. He and his Dad had built it together during the last school holidays. Ben had been using Mum’s kitchen three-step footstool to get from the ground to the lowest tree branch but Mum wanted the footstool back inside the house.

Just a few metres away from the treehouse, was a large round piece of tree trunk left from a tree Dad cut down last year. It was the perfect size to use as a step into the treehouse. Ben tried to move the stump-round, but it was too heavy. He spent the rest of the morning looking for something else to use as a step. But there was nothing as perfect as the stump-round.

During lunch, Ben told Dad about the stump-round and Dad said, “Great idea! You will be able to move it. You just need to use all of your strength!”

Ben got the hint. His Dad want to help. Or maybe he just wanted Ben to do it on his own. Whatever the reason, he would need to find a way to move the stump. After lunch, Ben tried to lift the stump onto its edge to roll it to the tree. It wouldn’t budge.

He headed into the shed and got Dad’s crowbar. If he could lever it onto its edge, he could roll the stump-round to the treehouse. Back at the stump he wedged the crowbar underneath and lifted. The tip of the crowbar sunk into the ground. Ben looked up at the kitchen window and saw Dad watching. Dad smiled, made a fist and flexed his arm muscle. Then he pointed at his head and tapped it a couple times.

“Yeah, I know use all my strength… Oh, use all of my smarts!” Ben looked at the stump and scratched his head.

He went back to the shed and got two blocks of wood. He stacked them on top of each other next to the stump and wedged the crowbar between the blocks and the stump. Then he pulled down with all his might and the stump lifted off the ground! He stood on the end of the crowbar and with a long stick pushed the stump-round the rest of the way up onto its edge.

“Yeah! I did it!” he said, looking over at the kitchen. His Dad, still standing at the window, gave him a big thumbs-up.

Ben got behind the stump and pushed. It didn’t move. Ben leaned his back against the stump and pushed. Nothing. It was too heavy.

He looked over at the kitchen again. Dad was standing in the doorway now, leaning against the open door.

“Dad, it’s too heavy,” Ben said. “I’ve used every bit of my strength and my smarts!”

“You haven’t used all of your strength,” Dad said.

Ben sat on the upturned edge of the stump and crossed his arms. “YES I HAVE! IT’S TOO HEAVY!” Frustrated, Ben threw his hands in the air, “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST HELP ME?”

“Ah,” Dad said as he walked out of the house and over to Ben, “Now you’re using all of your strength!”

Dad and Ben stood together and pushed the stump all the way to the tree.

“Thanks Dad,” Ben said.

“You are very welcome, young man!” Dad wiped the dirt off his hands. “You know, Ben,” Dad said, “we have only used all of our strength when we have asked the right person for help! We are not meant to do life alone. We all need each other.”

Ben stepped up onto the stump-round and said, “I see what you mean.” Lifting himself onto the lowest branch, he climbed into the treehouse and looked out through the window. “Next time I need to do something difficult,” Ben said, “I will use all of my strength by asking for help!”