The Boy on a Leash

It was the most beautiful day today! The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the temperatures had risen. We'd been waiting for a day like this for months it seemed, so we decided to take advantage of it. Books, water bottles, and happiness in tow, we headed to the a local park. We were going to make the most of this glorious day. 

We walked several laps around the park then sat down to soak up some sun. Vitamin D is so vital to health. We sat there talking for several minutes and then started to read as the clocked ticked by. Before we knew it school was out and children started arriving. Most of them headed for the playground. Their peals of laughter made us smile. Other adults were on the trails getting their exercise in. We watched as each individual or small group passed by. 

One couple caught our attention. They were a good distance from us but we could tell by their stooped stature they were an older couple. There was something between them that we couldn't quite make out and we wondered what it was. As they got closer to us, we could see it wasn't a what but a who. 

When they were less than 100 yards from us, we could see a young boy on what looked like a big wheel (a low riding tricycle type thing my kids used to have). But there was something very different about this contraption. It had metal wheels on the back that looked like hub caps and there was a long orange leash attached the back of it. On the big wheel was a young teenage boy. What in the world?! Why would they have a leash attached to the boy, we wondered. We kept on watching and before we knew it, they were right in front of us and that's when we understood. The boy was physically challenged. It looked like he had cerebral palsy. The couple, apparently his grandparents, must have been babysitting while his parents were at work. But why a leash? We kept watching. 

Just as they passed in front of us, the grandfather asked the boy if he was ready. We waited to see what happened? The boy grinned and then the grandfather said, "Go!" He gave the big wheel a good push and off down the hill the boy went. The hill wasn't steep and had a flat dip in the middle of it so we wondered what would happen when the boy got to that and whether or not he was going to stay on or fall off the contraption. Leash dragging behind, he flew down the hill and when he reached the dip, the big wheel slowed drastically. The entire time the boy was moving, the grandfather was walking quickly behind while the grandmother moved at a slower pace. We were so shocked. We'd never seen anything like that before. Eyes transfixed we were mesmerized. 

The boy sat patiently waiting for his grandfather. When the elderly man reached him, we wondered what would happen. We watched as he bent over and grabbed hold of the leash. Gently he lifted it and all of a sudden began to pull the boy up the next hill. Wow! That's when it hit me, this was such a beautiful picture of the power of love! 

The young boy, because of his physical impairment, wouldn't have been able to ride on his own so the grandfather rigged up a way to give him that freedom. The leash made the boy feel safe and secure, even though he may not have realized going down a hill fast could have meant danger. We even noticed, on one swift pass, there were velcro staps keeping the boys feet firmly in place. 

On the next trip around, I snapped a photo. I tried my best to do it discreetly. I wanted to keep this reminder of love. As soon as I depressed the shutter button, the boy turned to me and gave me the cutest grin. And that's when I felt God speak to my heart, always look for the positive in the negative. 

1 Corinthians 13 is the chapter in the Bible all about love. If you haven't read it recently, I hope you will. Those grandparents were probably in their mid 80s if I had to guess. I'm sure it was challenging for them to take care of that boy much less bring him to the park, which they probably did often, according to how routine it seemed to them all but they did it anyway. Instead of allowing the boy's disability to keep him bound, they set him free with a little leash security. They wanted to make sure he was protected. And that's how God watches over us. 

Life often takes us through many ups and downs. There are good days and bad days. We never know exactly what to expect. We move forward in freedom but God always protects. Sometimes we don't understand His nos, yeses, or even the maybes, but we have to trust His leash of love is so powerful, He'll never let go of us. 

To some, that bright orange leash may have looked controlling and to a degree, it was, but it was more for the boy's benefit than anything else. I'm so thankful God allowed us to be there for that beautiful picture. Oh, I forgot to mention, as we headed out to the park, Phil had forgotten his wallet. We were halfway there when he remembered, so we headed back home to get it. After getting his wallet, we started out again only to get stuck behind a funeral processional. Finally, we got it and headed out again, only to get stuck in school traffic. I thought we'd never get to the park! But those delays, I believe, were ordained. I think God wanted me to see what I saw today - the boy on a leash! It was absolutely the highlight of my day.