Just Standing By...

Written March 21st

So about a month or so ago I went to “Circus Circus” with Pam and Tai, & my nieces’ and nephews. As soon as we got in there the three older kids wanted to ride on the Sling Shot so they ran over to the line and Alvin (the 4th oldest) followed them. Of course he wanted to go on the ride that his brother and sisters would be on. Unfortunately as we measured his height against the Cartoon character that said he had to be so tall...we realized he was too short. As he stood there he didn't seem to know why we had to check how tall he was...then we explained that he was too short to go on the ride...the look on his face broke my heart. He didn't cry or wasn't whiny at all he just came back and stood by us while we watched the three older ones move through the line then up to the ride. I told him he could go on the Ferris wheel...but he said it looked boring...which it totally did. But half way through waiting for the older ones to finish he turns to me and says “okay Aunty we can go on that one" in the saddest voice you ever heard…Again totally broke my heart!... and every ride he went on after that even if it was a kiddie ride where we knew for sure he could get on ...he went back to the cartoon character to see if he was tall enough with a worried look on his face...Which of course broke my heart yet again. Pam (Alvin's mom) always says I'm a sucker when it comes to the kids but I don't know how parents do it. Okay so I'm sure Alvin forgot all about being disappointed because afterwards he was fine. But it got me thinking about all the times parents have to watch while their child is disappointed, sad, or hurt. I know it’s important for kids to learn how to lose well, or to realize that some times life is unfair, and to generally just learn how to deal with disappointing situations but that experience helped me for a second glimpse at the heart of a parent and how their hearts must break everyday for their children. All the while loving them enough to let them gain that experience and hopefully it will help their children become stronger, kind, and more compassionate towards others. On a spiritual note it also helps me appreciate a loving Heavenly Father who sees the bigger picture, actually the entire plan and knows what is best for us and what would bring us happiness, …even if that means that we struggle through situations and decisions that we have made. I am so grateful for my parents whom I love so much, all the other great parents I know….for their example and for such a patient loving Father in Heaven. This also reminds me of a poem I read awhile ago....

The Friend Who Stands By

When troubles come your soul to try

You Love the friend who just stands by.

Perhaps there's nothing she can do

The thing is strictly up to you.

For there are troubles all your own

And paths the soul must tread alone.

Times when love can't smooth the road

Nor friendship lift the heavy load.

But just to feel you have a friend

Who will stand by until the end.

Whose sympathy through all endures

Whose warm handclasp is always yours.

It helps somehow to pull you through

Although there's nothing she can do.

And so with fervent heart we cry

God Bless the friend who just stands

by.Anonymous