As I've mentioned before, Eli and I occasionally join a Saturday morning run/walk group at our church called, appropriately, Morning Run. The leader of the group, Steve, sends out a meditation after the run each week. Eli and missed the exercise this week, but I really enjoyed Steve's meditation about our little friend Paul, so thought I'd share it here:

This morning, as we were all making our way back to the ASC parking lot, scanning the sidewalk for road change and continuing the conversations we had started an hour earlier at Starbucks, the most delightful thing happened. Little Paul Frilingos was walking with his dad. Actually, he was proudly walking with his dad, holding on to his right hand as if his life depended on it. And so, caught up in the delight of the moment, I walked around to Paul's right side (his dad was on his left) and took his right hand to balance out the equation.

Now you all know what happens with young children when you offer them your hand, or even your finger, for a walk: They grasp it...firmly. Actually, they grip it--crush it--tightly without hesitation and then appear so immensely grateful for all the help. This was most certainly little Paul's response, since his expression screamed: "Look everybody, I can walk all by myself (with a little help)!" He had two adults balancing him, one on his left and one on his right; two adults framed this huge grin from ear to ear: nose running, shirttail hanging out, pants kind of falling down. But delighted, absolutely delighted, in what he was accomplishing all by himself (with a little help...but for now, let's ignore the help).

And you know, it hit me then right between the eyes: This is precisely what we are. We're not runners or walkers or coffee drinkers or road-change warriors. Not really. We're participants in each others lives. We're part of each other's world, and every one of us is like little Paul really. We're catapulting through this life, sometimes with a little reckless abandon, but all the while holding on fast to those we care about, fed by them, supported by them. We're doing it all by ourselves, right? Maybe...but with a little help. We might think we're all in command of our lives, but deep down inside, we're holding on fast to our friends and loved ones--maybe even our God--for support, sometimes with our n ose running, shirttail hanging out, pants kind of falling down, but delighted, absolutely delighted in what we are accomplishing all by ourselves (with a little help ...but for now, let's ignore that help part).

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The child is father of the man. And you know, children are the fastest runners and the best walkers. I know that because I can still feel the grip of that little hand in mine. I can still see that wide grin and that delightful smile in the mind's eye.