EVERYDAY ADVENTURES

The Swing of Things

In the spring of 1981 the hottest ticket in town wasn’t a concert, a sporting event or a Broadway show. It was the swings at Milltown Elementary School.  Kids were lined up for miles.

You see, the swings had been gone.  AWOL.  Missing in action.  Like forever.  Okay, maybe it was only a week or two but it felt like an eternity.  When the swings came back, you would have thought it was the first time we’d ever seen one.

You see, the swings had been gone.  AWOL.  Missing in action.  Like forever.  Okay, maybe it was only a week or two but it felt like an eternity.  When the swings came back, you would have thought it was the first time we’d ever seen one.

Every kid on the playground was losing their mind.  It was like Times Square on New Year’s Eve.  People were jumping up and down, hugging each other and crying tears of joy.  That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point.  We were excited.  After a long, boring season, the swings were finally back!

So where had the swings been for so long?  Great question.  I don’t know if the old ones broke, were stolen or if there was some weird playground equipment shortage in the early eighties, but I can tell you this, we were desperately bored without them.  And the day the new swings arrived, everyone wanted a turn.  Including me.

Whatever the case, by the time I made it there, the lines were ridiculous.  There was no way I was making it through that line before the bell rang. 

Unfortunately, I was either the last kid to notice the new swings at recess or the slowest to get out the door or maybe both.  Whatever the case, by the time I made it there, the lines were ridiculous.  There was no way I was making it through that line before the bell rang. 

But then one of my friends, who was way ahead of me in line, offered me a deal.  If I pushed him on the swing, he’d let me cut in line and go next.  I was usually a die-hard rule follower, but not that day.  I wanted to swing, and that kid was my ticket to ride. 

I was so happy when I was pushing him.  I couldn’t believe it.  I’d beat the system.  I’d gone from the last in line to king of the playground.  In just a few short minutes, I’d be flying high. 

Waiting in line was for chumps, I thought.  New swings, here I come!

Waiting in line was for chumps, I thought.  New swings, here I come!

Just as I got caught up in my mental victory lap, though, something distracted me, and I totally missed a very important detail: my friend’s swing heading right for my face. 

Bam!  He flew back and clocked me right between the eyes. I went down hard, my nose bleeding like crazy.  The next thing I know I was loaded into an ambulance and rushed to the ER, with my awesome teacher, Ms. Edwards, riding in the back with me, comforting me every step of the way.

This wasn’t exactly the ride I was hoping for that day, but I had no one to blame but myself. 

My nose was broken and was pretty sore for a while, but I guess it wasn’t all bad. On the plus side, I got a lot of attention, five days off school and learned a valuable lesson.

To this day, that faint scar on the bridge of my nose reminds me that shortcuts just aren’t worth it.  Take it from someone who learned the hard way.  The best things in life really are worth waiting for, and usually take time. 

To this day, that faint scar on the bridge of my nose reminds me that shortcuts just aren’t worth it.  Take it from someone who learned the hard way.  The best things in life really are worth waiting for, and usually take time. 

That’s not such a big deal when it comes to cutting in lines on the playground, but unfortunately, many of us carry that same shortcut mentality into adulthood, myself included.  I want what I want and I want it now.

That’s why get rich quick schemes, fad diets and preachers who promise health and wealth will always be popular.  But even if those aren’t your cup of tea, there may be other shortcuts, moral shortcuts, that are tempting. 

We may be tempted to cheat on a test, cheat on our taxes or cheat on our spouse.  We may lash out in anger instead of calmly talking through a problem. We may overeat or drink too much to destress.  We may brag or lie or put someone down to win the approval of others.  These are all just shortcuts to get what we want.

It’s not a bad thing to want good grades, earn money, have fulfilling relationships, and relax at the end of a hard day, but it’s the shortcut that can come back to bite us. 

It’s not a bad thing to want good grades, earn money, have fulfilling relationships, and relax at the end of a hard day, but it’s the shortcut that can come back to bite us. 

Beyond that, by taking shortcuts we may miss something good God wants to give us as we wait.  If we commit to doing things God’s way, we can learn to trust Him as He helps us work through marriage problems, persevere through hard jobs and deal with our anger and need for approval.  In the waiting we can grow closer to God, grow in character and grow in our relationships with others. 

For instance, instead of dealing with stress by stuffing my face with cookies (not that that’s ever happened), when I take time to exercise, pray about it, talk to wise friends, or just wait on God, I can learn to manage stress in a healthy way.  The stressful situation may not change, but I will, and that spiritual growth is always worth the wait.

Honestly, I don’t remember what it was like when I finally made it on that new swing after I returned to school, but I’ll never forget how much pain a shortcut can cause, and how much I wished I’d taken the time to wait. •

Photo credit:  Pushish Images / shutterstock.com