Onewindyspringday,Iobservedyoungpeoplehavingfunusingthewindtoflytheirkites.Multicoloredcreationsofvaryingshapesandsizesfilledtheskieslikebeautifulbirdsdartinganddancing.Asthestrongwindsgustedagainstthekites,astringkeptthemincheck.
Insteadofblowingawaywiththewind,theyaroseagainstittoachievegreatheights.Theyshookandpulled,buttherestrainingstringandthecumbersometailkeptthemintow,facingupwardandagainstthewind.Asthekitesstruggledandtrembledagainstthestring,theyseemedtosay,“Letmego!Letmego!Iwanttobefree!”Theysoaredbeautifullyevenastheyfoughttherestrictionofthestring.Finally,oneofthekitessucceededinbreakingloose.“Freeatlast,”itseemedtosay.“Freetoflywiththewind.”
Yetfreedomfromrestraintsimplyputitatthemercyofanunsympatheticbreeze.Itflutteredungracefullytothegroundandlandedinatangledmassofweedsandstringagainstadeadbush.“Freeatlast”freetoliepowerlessinthedirt,tobeblownhelplesslyalongtheground,andtolodgelifelessagainstthefirstobstruction.
Howmuchlikekiteswesometimesare.TheHeavengivesusadversityandrestrictions,rulestofollowfromwhichwecangrowandgainstrength.Restraintisanecessarycounterparttothewindsofopposition.Someofustugattherulessohardthatweneversoartoreachtheheightswemighthaveobtained.Wekeeppartofthecommandmentandneverrisehighenoughtogetourtailsofftheground.
Letuseachrisetothegreatheights,recognizingthatsomeoftherestraintsthatwemaychafeunderareactuallythesteadyingforcethathelpsusascendandachieve.