Month: May 2025

Recently we took our two oldest grandchildren to a local carnival. They had begged us to take them but we were hesitant because of the cost. When we got there, all I could see were the signs listing the prices. Twenty dollars for wrist bands for the rides. Five dollars for the ring toss games. Eight dollars for lemonade.

I was so focused on the expense, I almost missed the joy on the faces of my little buddies as they gleefully skipped across the grounds, climbed on the rides and won a couple of little teddy bears which they cherished playing games. As we took them home they gave us a big hug and thanked us for bringing them. That was a wonderful moment.

You can’t go through life worried about the negative. If you do, you’ll miss the positive.

When I was a teenager we used to go to the roller skating rink, where they had something they called a spotlight skate. The boys would skate in a circle while the girls would gather in the center. Each girl would tell the usher which boy she wanted to skate with, and the usher would then shine a flashlight on the chosen one. She would then join the boy and skate with him during the next song. They would do three or four spotlight skates every night.

Of course, some boys were more popular than others and skated with several different partners. Others, like me, seldom enjoyed the glow of the flashlight beam. Feeling left out can be devastating, and it doesn’t change when we grow into adulthood. As you go about your life, be aware of people who seem to be left out or unincluded in an activity or a conversation. Make it a point to shine your light on them.

I guarantee it will brighten their day.