Dropping Candy

I had recently gone on an adventure with my daughter Lovey and my grandbaby Ems. We had entered a store that had hungry machines out front. Ems was immediately tempted by their bright colors. 

Red, blue, yellow were their shiny metal outer parts while inside their glass bubbles some shimmered with mini toy bubbles, fake silver and gold bling, cheerful round gumballs, tattoo flash, and what struck her fancy, pastel orbs of candy.

 She was mesmerized. She looked at her mom and asked once. Lovey did not hear her. Ems without hesitation caught my eye and looked again at the tempting treats and asked for candy. When Lovey’s older sisters were the same age as Ems their Grandma would as she called it “feed the machines” for them. PD liked to ride the horses and Shoe wanted tattoos. I decided then and there that was definitely on the Grandparent list of musts. I would feed machines for my grandchildren. The joy and pleasure this brought to my children was worth the 25 cents. I could tell this was not Ems first encounter with a machine. I put the quarter in and slowly turned the knob. The candy spilled into the door and after I opened it tumbled into my hand. She could barely contain her excitement.

 As usual she popped one into her mouth right away and grabbed one in each hand. The rest I placed in her lap. We had not walked 12 steps before she had all the little candies in one had. She wanted to hold them. After she finished those she wanted more. When we leave I said. On the way out the door some 30 minutes later Ems saw the machines and asked again. We went over and this time I had her help me. We put the coin in and turned the knob. The candy spilled into the door; I placed her hand under it and told her to catch them. I opened the door and the first little pale pink piece tumbled out into her hand. Her desire for the candy, the need to have it right then obliterated her patience and what I had told her. She closed her fist around it moving it closer to her and upon opening her hand and seeing it; joy lit up her face like the sun. I froze. As she popped the long awaited for treasure into her mouth she saw the rest of the candy fall to the floor from where I was still holding the door. Her face now reflected the panic and tragedy that flashed through her. She looked at me, her mom the candy and hesitated only a moment before diving for the tiny pieces. We both said “NO” but again her desire was greater and she reached for a piece. I stopped her hand and her eyes welled up with tears.  What has me thinking  is… how many times during a day do we set up our goals, go out on the quest for them, reach and grab one only to find that in our impatience and desire to get what we want we grab the first one and most of the time we watch the rest fall away. If we had only been patient a moment longer, kept calm, put our immediate desires aside we may have reaped a bounty.  Sometimes there is only one round brilliant gumball but sometimes there is a handful of pastel sweet candy waiting for us to hold out our hand and take them. Little victories to savor.  I put another coin in and this time let the candies fall into my hand. Did she learn anything, maybe and maybe not? Do we?

Lady Tamara  www.HighlandTitles.com has a golf committee meeting to prepare for. If you are interested in sponsoring a hole or a tee or putting together a team let me know. Want to donate a silent auction item? Or the best of all marketing opportunities put some propaganda swag in our bags let me know.