As we left the Mothers’ and Toddlers’ Christmas party, my granddaughter, strapped in her buggy, was given a purple balloon to take home. How she loved this purple balloon! ‘Purple’ being the latest word and concept added to her vocabulary, she hugged it to herself so tightly I thought it might burst. It had a short length of ribbon for her to hold it by, but not enough to tie it on the buggy (not that she would have let me!) or around her wrist. I offered to hold it for her. “No Grandma” was the emphatic response.
“You must hold it tight” I warned. We left the church hall. We hadn’t even got to the bottom of the drive, I heard her scream, “Purple balloon! Purple balloon!” as it floated off in the opposite direction from where we were going.
I put the brake on the buggy and ran off in pursuit. The balloon bobbing out of reach as soon as I got within grasping distance. At that moment another family came alongside – also leaving the party with a purple balloon (other colours were available!). “Don’t worry,” the Daddy said, “Take ours instead, we’re going that way and I’ll retrieve it on our way.” Gratefully accepting the substitute balloon, we set off again. I found a plastic bag, resisted the pleas to hold it from the buggy and nestled it in the bag hung on the pushchair handle. Relieved we continued on our way.
Peace was restored. We talked about what we could do with the balloon when we got home – show Mummy, play with it with brother and sister, try not to let it touch the ground etc. We turned the corner onto a busy main street. I looked down at the bag which seemed to be fluttering just too freely at waist level. It was empty! Somehow the wind had caught the bag and the balloon had floated out. More horrified squeals as it drifted out into the centre of the traffic. Brake on, I went into chase mode, dodging the cars, with it bouncing out of reach every time I got close. It jerked its way to the gutter. Back on the pavement, I touched it lightly and was just about to pick it up when it must have rested on a spiky twig and ‘Bang!’ End of Purple balloon!
‘Where’s it gone?’ she questioned, her big brown eyes filling with tears.
How do you explain loss? Some things can’t be mended. Once they’re gone, that’s it. All the hopes we had for the balloon ended with its demise.
We start 2024 with hopes and dreams, but in a twinkling of an eye they can so easily be shattered. Life is so very, very fragile. Relationships teeter on a knife edge. There is a thin line between making ends meet. Ambulances arriving in time to save a life. Just being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
But, to quote a hymn, “I know who holds the future and he guides me with His hand. With God, things don’t just happen, everything by Him is planned. So as I face tomorrow, with its problems (hopes and dreams) large and small. I’ll trust the God of miracles, Give to Him my all.”
This new year, put yourself in God’s secure hand – He won’t let you go, He will stay with you even in death and bring you safely home. That’s the certain hope that we have as Christians. Happy 2024!
By the way, I spoke to “Father Christmas” and he assured me there are many more purple balloons waiting to be inflated for a certain little lady to collect at her home!!!!