Bigger on the Inside

Of the many gifts that my son has given me, one piece of innocent wisdom stands out above all others. He delivered it at the end of a warm summer afternoon, as we prepared to shuttle the family home from a day at the boardwalk.

We had spared few indulgences. The day had begun with pancakes, whipped cream and strawberries. Then it was on to the amusements, where each ride seemed to be shamelessly preceded by a hot pretzel, glass of lemonade, stick of taffy or cup of dippen’ dots. At lunchtime we broke for pizza. Not more than two hours later, we cooled down by sharing milkshakes and soft-serve ice cream.

As the day wound down, I remember thinking to myself that I probably wouldn’t eat again for several days. We gathered the troops, took in one last ride and headed for the parking lot. Only one thing stood in our way…A cotton candy stand had been strategically placed right next to the exit. My son went for it like it was a life preserver on a sinking ship.

Miles from home and minutes from bedtime, I knew that this last dose of sugar would probably be the undoing of our great night. “Son,” I said, “you’ve eaten more today than you’ve ever eaten in your entire life. There’s no possible way you could fit anything else in that little body of yours.” After a brief pause for thought, he looked back up at me. With a sparkle in his eye and an exuberance in his voice he said, “Don’t worry Daddy, I’m much bigger on the inside.”

Truer words have never graced my ears, and I’m willing to bet that my son’s unwittingly beautiful adage strikes a chord with you as well. Indeed we are all much bigger on the inside. The world can be an indifferent and presumptuous place, but we are not bound to those standards. There is no power greater than that found within the human heart, no force stronger than that bolstered by belief and no propulsion greater than that fueled by desire.

There will always be some reason why you can’t achieve what you want. See beyond it. -Author’s Note

So often, logic forces us to place limits upon our dreams. If we aren’t careful, what we perceive as “reality” can ground us before we even take off. But the true reality is that there is nothing outside of your reach. Never accept someone elses’ limits as your own. Never give in to those who doubt you and never give up in the face of what seem to be overwhelming odds.

As Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible, until it is done.” My son finished that cotton candy.