If there is one event in my life that I can point back to and say that it taught me to ask for directions it happened when I was in 5th grade.I had just started going to a Wednesday night Bible club at a new church, and was enjoying it very much. On this particular Wednesday, I was dropped off as usual. What wasn't usual was that no one was upstairs. No one. Not a soul. Hmm...that's odd.
Oh well.
Yeah, "oh well." I could have done the very smart thing and gone downstairs to find an adult, any adult, and have asked them where the Jet Cadets were meeting. Simple.
But, I was scared. Really, I was. Looking back, it seems so ridiculous! I was just too shy to go down and ask a simple question.
For me, the solution was to stay put. There was a shelf with outdated Sunday school papers (with stories) on them. I entertained myself with those. That lasted as long as the papers did. Then I started exploring. The allotted time for Bible club sped by when I was actually in the Bible club, but the minutes ticked by s-l-o-w-l-y on this night!
And then I cried.
Finally, finally, I could tell that the younger kids were finished with their meetings downstairs. So I went down and found my sisters.
At home, my parents somehow found out about my evening. I'm sure they had to pry it out of me, because I know I didn't volunteer the information.
And that, folks, is why I always ask for directions! I learned that night that the consequences of not asking for directions is far worse and painful then asking a question.
And the other children? I found out the next week that they had spent the evening in the fellowship hall having a special program!
How about you? Childhood shapes us into the adults we are now...do you have any such stories?
4 comments:
When I was about 12 we were in Canada (I think Quebecc) and getting on the subway. My parents and little sister got on then it was my turn. The doors shut right in front of me and off they went. Talk about scared! Everyone spoke French. My Girl Scout training kicked in. I just walked to the wall and stayed right there! I didn't more and I didn't talk to anyone. It seemed like hours. Everyone got off at the next station, and my Dad jumped on the next train back. Mom and Debby stayed at the next station just in case I got on the next train.
Okay, okay,...here's mine. I was in grade school. It must have been first grade. Now the first grade, cafeteria/gym and the teacher's staff room were downstairs. I remember that to go to the bathroom go out the classroom door, make a left go down the hall, and the GIRLS bathroom was on the left. One day, for some reason, I was UPSTAIRS on the SECOND floor, during recess. Maybe I was sick, or something and had to stay in. So I was in another room for recess. And I had to use the bathroom. Out the door, to the left down the hall, I went. I went quickly to the bathroom on the left. But something was not right, the bathroom looked funny. It had a strange tall white enamal thing with a drain at the bottom. I hurried and used the stall bathroom and left. As I left I found out that I had used as you probably already guessed, the BOYS bathroom!!!! To this day, I always check, double check, and sometimes triple check the sign on the outside of the bathroom in public places to make sure I use the right one!!! I am so glad that I don't think anyone discovered my mistake. Everyone was outside, and no one came in while I was using it!! WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!
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What a scary memory! I'm so glad that all ended well.
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