Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of “Don’t Try to Walk before You Can Crawl” (without using the actual phrase or literal example). (01/17/08)
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TITLE: "Baby Steps Forever" | Previous Challenge Entry
By Frank Salerni
01/18/08 -
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“I’m getting so old,” he thought to himself. Continuing, he didn’t recognize that he was headed for another slump.
“I can’t even get out of bed without feeling like a drunken sailor. If I bash another toe I’m going to put my fist through the bathroom door. I can hardly feel the pain of it though… diabetes has certainly taken its toll. Nobody understands my frustration with my life. Not even my wife of over 20 years, and how could she?”
He sat at the side of the bed wishing that the fog would lift from his tired head as he faced another night of broken sleep. He just needed enough clarity to negotiate the narrow pathway between his bed and the dresser that led toward the master bathroom for the fourth time in 6 hours.
Weak kneed and wobbly he stood trying to maintain balance.
The quiet of his room troubled him; it only meant he would more intently hear the loud, annoying ringing, in his half-deaf ears. This too would possibly add to his not being able to fall back to sleep.
“Why, God? Why should I have to put up with such nonsense as this? I’m not ready to cash in my chips, yet. At least wait until all the kids are grown. I know I started this family late in life, but I fear dying before they are all settled. You are my all in all, and I want to leave my family with something more than a memory of an old, tired, worn out shell of a man that once was the life of the party.
His thoughts raced through his mind as he headed back to the warmth of his bed.
“Great, now I’m awake and worried about the kids. Maybe if I could just drowned out these thoughts with my heavy breathing, or moaning, anything just to cover up the infernal ringing in my ears!”
He started to drift off into sleep from exhaustion. His thoughts came to rest on his children’s younger years. He started to dream of the way his father would teach the grandkids to walk.
At their first inclination of wanting to take a step, he would stand them up with their backs against a wall. This forced them, not being able to sit down, to either take a step, or fall forward. (His father always caught them before they hit face first thank God.)
Just then he awoke.
The process started all over again with the frustration of having to fully wake before being able to try and fall asleep again.
As he sat waiting for the fog to lift once again he remembered the dream. His thoughts went first to God.
“What are You trying to tell me, Lord? Am I going to fall on my face? I guess I would deserve it, huh?
Before he could depress himself any further God spoke in an instant, bypassing all the ringing, weariness, and discouragement.
“So, my back is against the wall once more, and I have no where to turn but You. My life has been a series of crawling and walking… Yes, Lord I know that I need to continue and take baby steps. If I start to fall on my face You’ll always be there to catch me… I get the message. Lord, old age is just another beginning, isn’t it? Help me repent, Lord. If I’m going to do any falling on my face… let it be at your throne of grace.”
The door creaked opened and a young, sleepy-eyed child walked over to his bedside.
“Grandpa, I can’t sleep.”
The old man quietly laughed as not to wake his wife and thought, “I wonder what that’s like?”
“Well, climb in, little dude.” The old man hugged the child as he spoke.
“Grandpa, when I grow up I going to be just like you.”
“Why is that?” he asked.
“ ‘Cause, you’re so smart. How did you get so smart Grandpa?”
“It takes a lot of falling on you face before God, little one.”
The child thought about what his Grandpa said, and then remarked.
“Hey, Grandpa?”
“Yes?” the tired man remarked?
“If I’m going to be just like you I know what I’m gonna’ need for my birthday.”
“What’s that, child?” The old man tiredly waited for the boys answer, and upon hearing it smiled.
“A helmet!”
The old man ruffled the boy’s hair and said, “Oh, go to sleep.”
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