Sandpiles

While growing up in the booming economy of central Florida in the Fifties, there was always a construction site sandpile somewhere in the neighborhood in which to play.  And, while we built forts, dug tunnels, or made roads for our toys, we often dreamed about becoming a policeman, a fireman, or maybe even a teacher because those were the people in our lives that we knew and respected.  But, as life unfolded, we discovered that we had an aptitude for science, engineering, or entrepreneurship, and developed a profound appreciation for some other career.  In time, those childhood dreams dissipated – just like a sandpile when we played “king of the mountain” with our friends…

Yeah, sandpiles.  Even as kids, we knew they weren’t a strong foundation for anything.  But we didn’t care.  All that mattered was that our Tonka trucks could navigate the roads we built and that we’d dump all the sand from our shoes before we got home to avoid a spanking from Mom for tracking it in.

It seems that we encounter sandpiles throughout our lives.  Some are used as intended, to make mortar to cement blocks or bricks together to build a house.  Some are eroded into nothingness by a heavy tropical rain.  And some are just a false image of what we think we want – just within our grasp – only to watch that sandpile disappear as the grains of sand filter easily through our fingers…

What’s important, I think, is that we accept those gifts with which we’ve been blessed and live each day to the fullest using those gifts.  The sandpiles of our youth provided us with enormous fun, but they were never something upon which we could base our dreams.  They were just sandpiles, largely shapeless and completely powerless to determine our future.  Just sand, dumped from a truck at a construction site, destined to become mortar…  but not the mortar of our lives.

The mortar which built our lives was never made of sand.  It was comprised of the many lessons patiently taught to us by our loving parents, teachers, relatives, mentors, and others who cared for and about us.  And that mortar was fortified by our life’s experiences as we met and overcame the many adversities and challenges we faced.

Play in the sandpile while you’re young and enjoy every moment with your buddies but embrace life’s gifts to you and follow your heart as you leave your youth behind.  And use those gifts – to the extent that you can – to make a positive impact upon the lives of others.  You won’t regret it…