Balloon Messages

Yesterday I made my weekly pilgrimage to Wal-Mart.  Grocery shopping was the task at hand.  As I was traveling along North Main Street I caught a glimpse of Monroe’s annual Cheese Festival.  The event is more of a street fair, but it is intended to honor Monroe’s place in history.  Velveeta cheese was invented by one of our residents, Emil Frey in early 1900’s.

 Party tents, carnival rides and people dotted the horizon. This scene reminded me of a family day a dozen or so years ago.  My daughter was nine and my son was four. It was a wonderful day of discovery, exploration and yes, some cheese.  The kids enjoyed themselves in the bouncy house, had their faces painted and they decorated ceramics pieces.  We purchased pretzels and dunked them in cheese, melted Velveeta of course and walked away in laughter and secured wonderful memories. 

  As I was sitting at the traffic light waiting for it to change I was absorbed in my thoughts of that day many years ago. At that moment my heart ached.  I realized that those simple family outings and the holding of tiny hands and hearts had exited my life several years ago. Today I missed it.

  On the corner was a man with his two children.  They were waiting to cross the road and make their way to their car.    He was holding the hands of each of his two children.  His daughter may have been ten or so years old, his son about six.

  As they stood there I silently laughed to myself as the little boy with wispy brown hair and a huge smile toyed with a purple helium balloon tied to a white ribbon.  The balloon bobbed up and down with each pull on the ribbon, and the boy giggled.  He was happy, and secure within that moment.  And then it all changed. 

  The little brown haired boy lost his grip on the string that was attached to his purple balloon. The ribbon slipped through his fingers and his treasure traveled upward.  His Dad made a valiant attempt to grasp the rapidly passing string, but to no avail.  The balloon was on a path of its own. As it traveled upward it grazed the top of a nearby building, soared above the stately oak tree and bounced about in the blue sky. I realized that as parents this is what we do with our children.  When they are young we tightly hold them within our grip.  We nurture, teach and protect.  Then there comes the time that we must loosen our hold, release and allow them to soar on their own.

   When I was young I always believed that adults knew everything.  I thought, when you are an adult things are clear, things are easy.  You are in total control of your life. You can do what you want, when you want.   Boy was I wrong; this couldn’t have been further from the truth!  Adulthood is when we face the most challenges. 

 No longer secure within the cocoon of our parent’s protection and guidance we must discover where we belong, where we fit in and who we really are.  Our time is not our own.   Responsibilities and obligations mount.  Soon we have our own children to hold onto and protect.  Raising a family is both a warmly rewarding and an equally overwhelming task. It leaves little or no time for our individual interest and pursuits.

Before you know it the time arrives to release our grip on the balloon strings. Yes, it is difficult but also necessary.  The fallacy is that when you are an adult you are all grown up.  This may be true physically, but emotionally and spiritually this is the time when we begin to question and challenge ourselves.  No longer concerned about what others may think we start to become truly comfortable in our own skin.  Ironically the point of release is when real growth and discover occurs. Phrases like “I can’t do that” are replaced with “Why not, I’ll give it a try.”    It is now our time to reclaim ourselves.

 These past few years I have given many things a try. Some have stuck other have not. A few have been major leaps.  Skydiving surely does fit that description!   Each step is part of my personal evolution.  Lessons are presented whether I choose to acknowledge them or not. The process of clearing and making space for new thoughts and experiences is a must. And, for me, living from the heart is essential.

  I finished my weekly Wal-Mart shopping and was patiently waiting my turn to check out and pay for my purchases.  As I was standing on the checkout line I looked up and there in the ceiling rafters was another balloon, and another message.

  Wedged against the roof top was a balloon that had floated away.  CLEARANCE was the word written on it. Yes we all love a bargin, items are put on “clearance”; the original price is reduced significantly to move the item quickly.  The purpose, the store needs to make room for new merchandise.   

  In our lives we too go through this clearance process. It can be hobbies, friends, jobs, and relationships that need clearing.  It can be our habits and thought patterns, or it can simply be space that needs clearing.  When the clearing occurs we make room for the new thoughts, careers, friends, experiences and beginnings.

 Each of the balloons I encountered yesterday contained lessons. There is a time that we must let go and release in doing so we can reach new heights.  Each of us has clearance to evolve, move, grow and change. Yes, there may be obstacles along the way that impede this. Some are real, but many are created in our minds.  We perceive what can or cannot be. The truth is that above us there is an endless sky.  We need to allow ourselves to travel it.  So my friend, where do you see your balloon traveling to, the ceiling, see the sky?