RoslynReynolds.com

“You can take this one back to the store now…”

Posted On Sunday, June 14th, 2009

Under: Overcoming Disappointment, The Power of a Positive Outlook, Uncategorized, Unshaken Faith in Trials

Little three-year-old Jefferson looked a little downhearted when he muttered those words.

It was his birthday. He’d been so excited – even thrilled – when he had seen the “skuut” bike he’d received. He squealed, “A bike?! A bike?!”

He put on the helmet immediately and began to walk the bike around and around the living room.

His father, (my son-in-law, Grant), capturing it all on video, asked Jefferson, “Do you want to go outside and ride your bike?”

Jefferson answered with his enthusiastic phrase that always makes me smile: “Of COURSE!”

I followed as Grant took him down the three flights of stairs to the sidewalk that winds through their apartment complex, and showed Jefferson how he could sit on the bike seat and push with his feet, but Jeff wasn’t interested. He was comfortable with straddling the bike and walking, step-by-step traversing the concrete pathway circling the apartment building.

“Jeff, don’t you want to try riding it? You can sit down and push with your feet,” I encouraged.

“No, it’s okay,” he responded, his eyes on the sidewalk ahead, and intently walking forward.

Grant and I smiled at each other. It couldn’t be very fun. Ahead we saw a small playground with a slide and a swing, and Jefferson headed straight toward it, gladly abandoning his bike to climb up the ladder, slide down the slide, and then go for a swing.

After awhile, Grant asked, “Are you ready to ride your bike back home?”

Jefferson slid down out of the swing and walked over to the bike. With noticeably less excitement than the first time, he dutifully buckled on his helmet, and straddled the bike for the uphill trip home.

What must he have been experiencing? I wondered what he was thinking. As we were finally approaching the stairs leading to his apartment, he stopped, started to unbuckle his helmet, sighed, and said,

“You can take this one back to the store now.”

It was so sweetly said. He appreciated the thought – but it had been nothing like his expectations. It just hadn’t been fun, and he wanted to trade it in on something better!

It reminded me of so much of life. We think of something we want, and we build up expectations of what it will be like. We have such high hopes!

Then, when we get what we wanted, and it’s less exciting or more work than we expected, and it’s just not fun anymore, we want to trade it in. We want to make a change, give up, or move on.

However, we know something that Jefferson has yet to learn. There isn’t anyplace where we can take what life dishes up and say, “You can have this back. Could I please have a better one?”

We have to deal with what we are given. Thoreau reminded us of that when he said, “Man is the artificer of his own happiness.” We can choose to be happy even when circumstances aren’t ideal. We can learn new things that will help us find the good in our situation.

Grant didn’t return the bike. He knows that Jefferson will soon come to love his bike. As he learns how to balance, and how to make it go, he will find some of his happiest moments sailing along the pavement.

We need to decide to make the best of life – whatever circumstances come to pass – and have faith that if God allowed it, He will also give us the courage and strength to live through it – and learn and grow from it.

I have always loved Victor Hugo’s words:

Be like the bird

That, pausing in her flight

Awhile on boughs too slight,

Feels them give way

Beneath her and yet sings,

Knowing that she hath wings.

We, too, have wings! Our faith in God allows us to rise above life’s challenges and difficulties and not be lost in the fog of despair and discouragement.

When we want to trade in what we’ve been given, we must remember: “With God, nothing is impossible.” And, “I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.” We can find the good, in any place God puts us.

“Ah, great it is to believe the dream

As we stand in youth by the starry stream;

But a greater thing is to fight life through,

And say at the end, “The dream is true!”

-Edwin Markham

Seeking the good in every day,

-Roslyn

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