What has 180 legs…?
[An abbreviated version of this article appeared in the promotional issue of 'Benchmark' magazine, Sept 03]
Q: What has 180 legs, can consume 90 odd ice-creams in a matter of minutes… and insists on being unsuitably dressed for rainy weather?
A: Year 5’s school trip to Lyme Regis!
Yep, today I have traipsed many more miles than is ordinarily desirable, around Lyme Regis, accompanied by 90 ish 9-10 yr olds (plus a handful of us staff).
Yep, it rained.
A lot.
And what do you think the girls chose to wear to protect themselves from such an attack? Tiny tight vest tops and baggy combats, that’s what. The lads were no better: “Oh no I don’t need a coat I’m not cold/wet/dying of hyperthermia… etc”!
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the entire day the amazing views, the invigorating sea air… but most of all, I just couldn’t help but appreciate and value this amazing group of young people. They’re so ready and waiting to hatch out into their teenage years, and all that lies ahead of them. Most of them still retain their childlike innocence, and have yet to form their own views and opinions, let alone make major decisions in life.
I find all this both exciting, and yet scary! Part of me wants to see them change, learn, and ‘grow’… but another part of me wants them to stay just as they are, where their toughest challenge of the day is
“How many postcards, sticks of rock and cornettos can I get for my pound?”
as opposed to
“How can I tell her I want a divorce?” or “Where’s our next meal coming from?”.
But grow up they will it’s life it’s the way God’s designed us all!
Like David said:
‘Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.’
(from Psalm 139, The Message.)
I can only pray that God will help me, and indeed help us all, to assist young people such as these, with each and every stage of their lives to pray for them, to listen to them, to encourage them, but above all… to simply ‘be there’ for them.