It was a warm summer day. Folks were gathering outside to enjoy the sun. The church service had ended and I was at my favorite spot selling cake and bagels to hungry congregants. I love feeding people. Finally the end of my volunteer shift came. All the cake had been gobbled up and all but one of the bagels. This last bagel was huge. It was also a trick bagel. Bagel purists would look at it with a squinchy eye. "What are the brown specks in the bagel?" they would ask. Some thought ma"Maybe the specks were blue berries. "Were they?" Some thought they might be raisons. I would solumny shake my head and then lower the boom. The brown specks were chocolate chips. Now some of you might say "Oh chocolate chips. O.K." But not bagel purists! Nobody who truly appreciates bagels would EVER eat one with chocolate chips. I can't explain exactly but you just do't do that to a bagel. So the huge bagel sat there all alone on the plate. Warming in the sun, until...
As I gazed at the dwindling crowd and thought it was time to pack up, I noticed a pair of big brown eyes peeping over the ledge of the table. They were staring at the chocolate chip bagel. Then, before I could do anything but smile, a little brown hand snaked over the table to the plate where the bagel sat, and snatched the bagel off the plate! The little fellow then grabbed the bagel with both hands, it was almost as big as his little face and sniffed it. At that point, all thoughts of retrieving the bagel fled from my mind. To further cement my decision not to interfere, he then took a big bit out of it. The bagel was his.
Then a woman with a look of horror came running toward him. His mother I presumed. I quickly assured her he could have the bagel, for free. He'd already taken three bites out of by then.
I thought about the little guy a lot as time went on. I admired his determination, his commitment to grabbing what he wanted. He didn't ask permission. He didn't hesitate or second guess himself. He didn't do all the things grown-ups do that keep us from achieving or getting what we want in life. He was single minded, clear and gutsy. I thought about the times I hesitated, questioned myself, doubted myself. I wondered what would happen if I just reaching out and grabbed it, whatever "it" was? What if I stopped second guessing myself or doubting myself or questioning my abilities, my gifts, my dreams and just WENT for it? Granted I wouldn't get everything I wanted but I'm guaranteed not to get it if I let self doubt and fear overcome me. That little boy had nerve! He grabbed that bagel and enjoyed it immensely. He was munching on it all the way down the street as his mother towed him to the car to go home. If he can do it why can't we who are so much smarter (?), bigger and more equipped? Why not?