The other day, I am ashamed to say, I pulled a very "juvenile" move...We had given a party at our home for my son’s birthday and I had purchased a number of helium balloons to add to the festivities. When the party was over, being that the balloons are Mylar, they were still going strong. I tried to give them away, even to our grandchildren, but no takers. I didn’t have the heart to pop them, so they hung around the house for a couple weeks. As the days past by they began to wilt a little but for the most part stayed floating happily, all but one. This was the one that said “Happy 30th Birthday”. I noticed it drooped much quicker than the others, but they continued to hold it up as best they could. However, it was still bouncing around with the rest of the balloon bouquet each time it caught the slight breeze of an open door or someone passing by.
It got to be Thanksgiving week and it was clearly time that the birthday decorations needed to be sent packing and the Thanksgiving decorations take its place. As I looked at those still perky balloons I had a thought…why not open the door and release the entire bouquet into the air. I hadn’t done that since I was a kid. It would be fun to watch them climb into the sky and be mesmerized as they soared higher than I could eventually follow them. This way, I also wouldn’t have to pop them, which felt a little like ending their life. For a split second I did think about just popping them, as it was probably the most environmentally friendly and neighborly option, since they would eventually end up in someone’s yard who’d have to pick them up, or as trash along the roadside. But I quickly dismissed this thought.( My idea was much more pleasing.)
When I released them I snuck out to the deck, checking to be sure there were no neighbors about, quickly christened their voyage, and ran back to the doorway to watch their plight under the eaves of the house where no one could see me. But, as I retreated I noticed that darn “30th” balloon was not cooperating. It was dragging all the other balloons down with its lack of air and partially flattened state. Just then, a side wind took hold of them. As I watched in horror, the entire balloon bouquet became entangled around some wires and a telephone pole at the back of our neighbor’s yard. Yikes! No way to get that down now, so I quickly darted into the house to hide, hoping no one could trace them back to me.
Today as I was thinking about that event as I looked out the window and could still see those now deflated balloons hanging on the pole. I wasn’t thinking so much about the childish act, but more towards that “30th” birthday balloon. It was a real downer. Had it been as perky, light and airy as the others, they would have made that maiden voyage a success. They would have missed the tangles of wires and maze of poles that were out in front of them. The bouquet of 10 balloons would have skyrocketed, missing all of the entrapments.
It led me to think…my life… I don’t want to be a downer. It’s so easy to discourage people, taking the air out of their sails and keep them from experiencing joy. So I committed to lifting others up so they can miss the traps and things that tangle us that keep us from soaring. Today I make the commitment that I am going to be much jollier… it only takes one flat balloon to weigh down the whole bunch.
It got to be Thanksgiving week and it was clearly time that the birthday decorations needed to be sent packing and the Thanksgiving decorations take its place. As I looked at those still perky balloons I had a thought…why not open the door and release the entire bouquet into the air. I hadn’t done that since I was a kid. It would be fun to watch them climb into the sky and be mesmerized as they soared higher than I could eventually follow them. This way, I also wouldn’t have to pop them, which felt a little like ending their life. For a split second I did think about just popping them, as it was probably the most environmentally friendly and neighborly option, since they would eventually end up in someone’s yard who’d have to pick them up, or as trash along the roadside. But I quickly dismissed this thought.( My idea was much more pleasing.)
When I released them I snuck out to the deck, checking to be sure there were no neighbors about, quickly christened their voyage, and ran back to the doorway to watch their plight under the eaves of the house where no one could see me. But, as I retreated I noticed that darn “30th” balloon was not cooperating. It was dragging all the other balloons down with its lack of air and partially flattened state. Just then, a side wind took hold of them. As I watched in horror, the entire balloon bouquet became entangled around some wires and a telephone pole at the back of our neighbor’s yard. Yikes! No way to get that down now, so I quickly darted into the house to hide, hoping no one could trace them back to me.
Today as I was thinking about that event as I looked out the window and could still see those now deflated balloons hanging on the pole. I wasn’t thinking so much about the childish act, but more towards that “30th” birthday balloon. It was a real downer. Had it been as perky, light and airy as the others, they would have made that maiden voyage a success. They would have missed the tangles of wires and maze of poles that were out in front of them. The bouquet of 10 balloons would have skyrocketed, missing all of the entrapments.
It led me to think…my life… I don’t want to be a downer. It’s so easy to discourage people, taking the air out of their sails and keep them from experiencing joy. So I committed to lifting others up so they can miss the traps and things that tangle us that keep us from soaring. Today I make the commitment that I am going to be much jollier… it only takes one flat balloon to weigh down the whole bunch.
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