A Parable…sort of
She threw away all opportunities of future at an early age, disappearing into the crowds. Slowly, everyone forgot she even existed. While everyone around her was swinging from the monkey bars, she sat in the sandbox, alone, with her bucket and shovel. Scooping sand in, dumping it back out. When they slept, she lay awake, staring at the ceiling and waiting patiently for the time to tick by.
When someone talked to her, she mumbled an answer and turned away. They left her alone after she had made it clear she didn’t want them around. She skipped the bonus questions on tests, never tried to read or write any more than she had to, and always sat out of games during recess. She liked watching everyone else, but it never occured to her to try herself.
As she got older, she remained the same. Always watching everyone else have fun, never trying to herself. She shunned anyone who tried to reach out to her, and
ignored any attempts to make something out of her life.
When her parents wanted to know if she wanted to go to a summer camp, she said no without a second thought. They asked what she wanted for Christmas. She didn’t want anything, she said.
When her classmates were signing up for driving lessons, she bought a bus pass. She watched in silence as they all went, laughing, out to the parking lot. She got on the bus and rode home, without looking back.
One day she received a large envelope in the mail. Junk, she thought. She tossed it into the trash can and forgot about it, not realizing she’d just thrown out a scholarship to Harvard University. Instead she went to a local college
She was so cold and silent no one even noticed her. Most people forgot she was there minutes after seeing her. She went through life, alone, overlooking any opportunities and living only in her dreams. She even died quietly.
Will you just watch your life go by? Or will you take hold of every opportunity that comes your way?
