"I Won't Give Up On Him"
(Written by Joseph B. Walker)
I recently heard about a father who was working outside his home when he
noticed his 5-year-old daughter sprawled on the driveway, completely focused on
the cement in front of her. Curious, he strolled up behind her to see what was
so mesmerizing. There on the driveway a caterpillar was making its way across
what, for it, was a vast expanse, fraught with obstacle and danger. The girl was
absolutely spellbound, watching as the creature's tiny legs and body propelled
its slinky way to... well, wherever it was going.
"Caterpillars sure are interesting, aren't they?" the father said
at last.
The little girl didn't take her eyes off the driveway. She just grunted:
"Uh-huh."
"It looks like it would take a lot of work to move like that, doesn't
it?" Dad asked.
"Uh-huh."
He understood. He remembered the fascination of watching creeping things
crawl as a boy. They quietly watched for a few minutes, as the caterpillar
struggled to negotiate a wide crack in the pavement.
"Before too long," the father noted, "he won't have to worry
about big cracks like that."
"Why not?" the girl wondered.
"He'll just fly over the top of it," Dad said.
For the first time, the little girl looked up. "Nuh-uhhhh," she
said. "Caterpillars don't fly."
"You're right -- they don't," Dad replied. "But they turn
into butterflies, and you've seen how well butterflies can fly."
"Nuh-uhhhhh," the little girl said. "You're teasing."
"It's the truth," Dad said. "You can ask Mom. One of these
days this caterpillar will build a little home for itself called a cocoon, and
then he'll go to sleep for a while. When he wakes up he'll crawl out of his
cocoon, only by then he will have turned into a butterfly, and he'll fly
away."
His daughter was suspicious. "Daddy, is this sort of like that tooth
fairy story?"
"No, sweetheart," he replied, "this is true. It's really
going to happen. Honest."
"Well, OK," she said. Then she smiled and turned her attention
back to the caterpillar. "I was worried about him," she said.
"But if he's really going to be able to fly, I won't give up on him."
All of us find ourselves occasionally limited by mortality. Sometimes we're
forced by circumstances to move slowly, struggling to overcome each new obstacle
in our way. At other times we encounter limitations that are even more
restrictive, binding us in a cocoon of disability, depression or hardship. At
such times the easiest solution would be to simply give up.
And while I understand why some choose to do exactly that, I am in awe of
those who refuse to surrender to life's vicissitudes. Like the caterpillar that
emerges from its confining chrysalis to spread its wings as a beautiful
butterfly, they burst free of the constraints mortality imposes upon them. And
they fly. Which is not to imply that one who refuses to give up in the face of
adversity will always emerge victorious. That would be unrealistic, and reality
must occasionally have its due. But an amazing number of courageous folks
do overcome, even though it's impossible to know in advance which ones will.
And the funny thing is, those who "lose" still gain much from trying
-- so who's to say they haven't really won, after all? In a world where
earth-bound caterpillars end up soaring with the birds, you learn not to give up
on anyone who hasn't already given up on themselves.
[A note from CJ]:
After writing Mr. Walker for permission to share his story, his prompt
response is: "I would be delighted to have you share my story in any way you see fit. Thanks for asking! God bless you! Joe Walker"
Send Joseph B. Walker an e-mail: valuescom@juno.com
and let him know what
you thought of his story!
Joseph Walker has been writing professionally since 1980, when he left
college to join the staff of a daily metropolitan newspaper. For 10 years --
including six as the paper's TV columnist and critic -- he was part of the
mainstream media, and was painfully aware of the overwhelming negativity of
contemporary journalism. Joe says, "Nobody was looking for real solutions
to the problems society was facing; they were just looking for someone or
something to blame the problems on." So in 1990 Joe began writing
ValueSpeak, a weekly syndicated column that attempts to look at contemporary
issues from the perspective of traditional values. Joe and his wife, Anita, are
parents of five children and one grandchild.
"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for
this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB)
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