By Mona Yapp
Jan 17 2022
DO you recall playing outdoor games as a child? Do you remember the kite-flying? It may be just a game, but I have learned something from it.
Once my brother arrived home with a kite for his son, Carl. Carl and his many cousins were all excited because it was a game that they could play together.
The kite sometimes flew high and sometimes low. If the wind died down, the kite just dropped down on the ground. My nieces and nephews would pick it up, made sure that it was still in good condition and flew it again. One or two of them held the rope and the rest shouted and cheered encouragingly. Together they ran towards where the kite would fly.
If the kite had a life of its own, it would be happy flying with ease and be free in the sky, forgetting that its rope was still held by my nieces and nephews.
After a while, I heard them shouting “Oh no! Oh no!” Apparently, the rope snapped off and the connection between the kite and the kids severed.
The kite went out of control, flew further away and crashed. It took a while for them to search for and locate the kite. In the end they found it, a little bit broken but nothing that could not be fixed.
I imagine us being the kite. We all want our freedom and are proud of our self-reliance. But just like the kite, unless we keep our connection with families, friends or people, we will fly to nowhere and without a purpose.
In contrast, imagine us being like a kite that is still connected to people on the ground – with a strong rope that binds us together. When the wind is down, bringing us down as well, there will be people to support and encourage us.
If the wind brings us high up in the sky, our friends and family will shout and cheer for us. If the wind is too strong and brings us out of control, rest assured there will be people who will help keep us grounded. And wherever we fly, there are people running with us.
There are few challenges that prevent me from keeping in touch with family and friends. Time, weather, health and pandemic have been the biggest culprits. Social media has a bad reputation for ‘disconnecting’ people, but it can also be a platform for us to connect to others.
A friend messaged me through Facebook and asked me how I was doing before asking me to catch up. An announcement on Facebook page encouraged me to join in with church activities. These connections create a sense of belonging for me.
I am glad that my nieces and nephews found their kite when it snapped and got disconnected from them. In life, so many kites just fly to nowhere and never to be found again. When we are bound together, that is when we can truly fly free.
