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.Heavengivesusadversityandrestrictions,rulestofollowfromwhichwecangrowandgainstrength.Restraintisanecessarycounterparttothewindsofopposition.Someofustugattherulessohardthatweneversoartoreachtheheightswemighthaveobtained.Wekeeppartofthecommandmentandneverrisehighenoughtogetourtailsofftheground.Letuseachrisetothegreatheights,recognizingthatsomeoftherestraintsthatwemaychafeunderareactuallythesteadyingforcethathelpsusascendandachieve.