The Pine Wood Derby is an event where dads and sons work together to customize a small block of wood with wheels and counterweights into a car. After the car is completed, it must weigh a certain weight to be approved by a judging committee. After all that is completed, the son and father get to use the car on a race track, competing with other cars. It is a yearly Cub Scout event and the boys really enjoying doing it.
This one year our son had already finished his competition. He came in third or fourth. He shrugged off the race loss deciding that the sheer fun of competing was more important to him than winning the race.
I watched a little boy, crying inside on the church steps. This little boy had lost and felt a personal sense of loss. I knew his personal value remained priceless at the same time he had to accept that for this one race, he had lost. I went over to him. “What’s the situation?”
His lower lip was out very far and he looked so sad. Tears dotted his cheeks. “I lost!”
I said, “Well, I bet you’re really an expert ball player. Tell me what you can do really, really well.”
Still whimpering a bit he said, “Football. I can really crush the guys.”
“Well, tell me something else you can do, you creative genius you.”
“I’m really good at jumping. I can jump really, really high.” he said brightly.
“Well, now I’m really impressed to hear how smart and talented you are. I bet you can even tell a pretty good story, too.”
“Oh, I tell the GREATEST stories.”
I said, “Wow! Even though you lost this ONE car race, there’s always next year. AND, you can already do so much. Gee you are really special. That sounds like a GREAT story to me. What do YOU think?”
“Yeah!” he said with his best super-hero jump. The little boy had stopped crying now and beamed. He hopped up and ran outside.
You and are like this little boy. You are special and necessary. Focus on what you CAN do and feel powerful. Forget about what you are unable to do. Maybe you’ll be able to develop that ability when you’re older.
Enjoy your day!
Susan
