Kites

"The boy was very young.  It was his first experience with kite flying.  His father helped him, and after several attempts, the kite was in the air.  The boy ran and let out more string, and soon the kite was flying high.  The little boy was so excited; the kite was beautiful.  Eventually there was no more string left to allow the kite to go higher.  The boy said to his father, 'Daddy, let's cut the string and let the kite go; I want to see it go higher.'

His father said, 'Son, the kite won't go higher if we cut the string.'

'Yes it will,' responded the little boy.  'The string is holding the kite down; I can feel it.'  The father handed a pocketknife to his son.  The boy cut string.  In a matter of seconds the kite was out of control.  It darted here and there and finally landed in a broken heap.  That was difficult for the boy to understand.  He felt certain the string was holding the kite down."  (Ensign, Nov. 1999)

This story teaches a valuable lesson.  There are many things in life that seem to tie us down.  We feel that we can't soar to our full potential because of them, when really, it is quite the opposite.  They don't hold us down, they anchor us. 

The string can be compared to the commandments we keep.  As long as we are strong in keeping them, then our kite will fly high.  But once we choose to break that string, then we'll be driven with the wind because there is nothing there to anchor us.  We must always remember that the commandments aren't there to keep us down, but they keep us flying.  Once we realize this, we will be able to reach the end of that string, and the fullest of our potential.

The Crosswalk

One day in high school, I wanted to write a song, but I had no idea what to write about.  As we were walking across the street, a friend that was with me jokingly said, "Write a song about crosswalks."  Ever since that experience, I've never looked at crosswalks the same.  Sure they're pathways that take us safely across the street, but they can be looked at as so much more than that.

At first glance, a crosswalk seems constricting or limiting, but if we really think about it, they're there to keep us safe and to make sure we make it to the other side.  Commandments are extremely similar.  At first glance, they seem like they take away our freedom, but in all actuality, they give us more freedom and keep us safe.  Without crosswalks, we might not make it to the other side.  Just like without commandments, we might not make it to the Heaven. 

Obeying the commandments that have been set before us is a huge part of life.  John 14:15 reads, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."  Obedience to God and his commandments is the best way we can show that we love and appreciate all that he's done for us.  As we do our best to obey them, he will help us safely make our return back to him.  It won't always be easy to do, but it will definitely be worth it.