[header size=”1″ type=”single”]Round and Round it GOES[/header]
HOLD ON TIGHT
When my oldest daughter, Taylor, was about 3 or 4 years old, we loved to go to the park together. She loved the park; it was a great place to play because of its variety. There were many things to do, all of which daddy and daughter could participate in. It always made for a fun day. Now, I have to say, I’m a man. So, as I write the rest of this story, you’ll understand. Nothing more really needs to be said.
First, we went to the swings because they had some just her size, and she loved to swing. She would always say, “Higher, Daddy, higher.” So it was fun and exciting for both of us. Next, we moved from the swings to the little spring animals. The little animals were built on springs so a child could climb on their back and bounce to their heart’s content. Taylor always loved those. Then we moved to a toy we hadn’t tried before—a classic. Something I had played on as a child many times, even as an elementary student, and dare I say it, even in high school, I can remember a few times getting on one of these in the park and having a great time. I’m sure you can imagine what I’m referring to, mainly because of the title of this blog. That’s right, a merry-go-round.
I told Taylor, “Right baby, this is fun. Would you like to get on the merry-go-round?” I said it goes around and around, and all you do is hold on; it’s lots of fun. She squealed with delight and said, “Yes, Daddy, yes!” So, being my great-dad, her wish became my command. I sat her on the merry-go-round and said, “Now, Taylor, hold on tight.” So she did.
I pushed it slowly, and she giggled. She was having so much fun, and I was because she was. So, for a few minutes, I pushed, and the merry-go-round slowly turned, and she laughed, and I laughed. Oh, what a great time we were having. Until…..
You see, like most men, I’m competitive. Yes, sometimes, it is too competitive. She said something that caused me, well, yeah, to LOSE MY MIND!
She said, “Faster, Daddy, Faster!” Of course, trying to oblige my sweet daughter, I begin to push faster. She yelled in laughter, “faster, faster.” Then it happened; something came over me. My mind said, “For my girl, I will spin this merry-go-round faster than ever. I will provide the most fun that has ever been had on a merry-go-round. My girl deserves it.” At this point, she’s a blur and laughing and having fun, but the faster we went, the more force pulled on her, and her laughter became an elongated squeal that to this day rings in my ears….. too fast, daddy……….thump! YES, I SAID THUMP!
At the fastest point, the force became too much for her, and it was impossible for all her trying to hold on. Her hands began to unclasp, and she flew, yes, flew off of that merry-go-round. As she passed, my life started to flash in front of my eyes, and in every scene, my wife was punching me in the face. Because in my attempt to give my daughter the most fun ever in the history of the world, I became a complete idiot. She didn’t just hit the ground; she bounced.
I ran to her as fast as I could, and she was lying face-first in the mud. I thought, “Oh my lord, I’ve hurt my baby girl.” I arrived on the scene of the wreck and turned her over, and she was laughing hysterically. Dirt on her face and clothes, she was ready to ride again. I sat her down and said, “Are you OK?” She said, “I’m OK.” So, I told her what any man in my position would say. Say it with me, men….”Let’s not tell your mother about this; it will be our secret.”
LIFE:
Life looks fun, the busyness looks promising, the people in it seem to be squealing with delight, and there appears to be a lot of momentum, movement, cheering, and fun. However, once you’ve been on the ride for a while, you realize you are moving but not going anywhere. What is the meaning of this? What purpose is there in continuing to go around and around to no natural end? Too many times, the future is like the one my daughter had. We should have stopped long before we did, but instead of evaluating the decision to speed up, we went for it with all our might, and the result was she was flung from the merry-go-round and landed in the dirt.
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Let me ask you some questions.
1 Have you ever felt like you were making progress only to find out you were just going in circles?
2 Do you ever feel like society is making decisions for you, instead of you making decisions for yourself?
3 Do you ever feel like you are living based on the expectations of others and not your own expectations for your life?
4 Do you ever feel like you’re spending money you don’t have to buy things you don’t need to impress people you don’t like?
5 Do you ever feel like your life is filled with monotony, and mundane futility?
6 Do you ever feel like life is acting on you instead of you acting on it?
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THIS IS THE MERRY GO ROUND
The merry-go-round is appealing, looks fun, and seems like an adventure. Everyone who is anyone seems to be on it. The merry-go-round is compelling. It pulls you to it. It is amusing and challenging and draws competition out of you. Who can spin the fastest? Who can hang on the longest?
The problem is that it doesn’t matter because, in the end, you’re still just spinning in circles.
What is it?
The merry-go-round is the emotional amusement we get caught up in when we lose direction and become distracted. In life, we have multiple decisions to make. Will we live our lives based on priorities or the demand of urgency? We can’t do everything, so we have to choose. For our lives to be significant, we must make decisions based on what is truly important, not urgent.
It’s like Stephan Covey said in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
“Its a sad thing in life, when you climb to the top of the ladder only to find that its been leaning against the wrong wall.”