Thought for the Day 5/14/2021

 Friday Tale - The High School Loser

For Sparky school was all but impossible. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He flunked physics in high school getting a grade of zero. Sparky also flunked Latin, algebra and English. He didn't do much better in sports. Although he did manage to make the school's golf team, he lost the only important match of the season.

         Throughout his youth Sparky was awkward socially. He was not actually disliked by the other students; no one cared that much. He was surprised if a classmate ever said hello to him outside of school hours. There's no way to tell how he might have done at dating. Sparky never once asked a girl to go out in high school. He was too afraid of being turned down.

         Sparky was a loser. He, his classmates...everyone knew it. So he rolled with it. Sparky had made up his mind early in life that if things were meant to work out, they would. Otherwise he would content himself with what appeared to be his inevitable mediocrity.

         However, one thing was important to Sparky - drawing. He was proud of his artwork. Of course, no one else appreciated it. In his senior year of high school, he submitted some cartoons to the editors of the yearbook. The cartoons were turned down. Despite this rejection, Sparky was so convinced of his ability that he decided to become a professional artist.

         After completing high school, he wrote a letter to Walt Disney Studios. He was told to send some samples of his artwork, and the subject for a cartoon was suggested. Sparky drew the proposed cartoon. He spent a great deal of time on it and on all the other drawings he submitted. Finally, the reply came from Disney Studios. He had been rejected once again. Another loss for the loser.

         So Sparky decided to write his own autobiography in cartoons. He described his childhood self - a little boy loser and chronic underachiever. For Sparky, the boy who had such a lack of success in school and whose work was rejected again and again, was Charles Schultz.

         Although his little cartoon alter ego, Charlie Brown, has never been able to get his kite to fly or has succeeded in kicking a football, "Sparky" Schultz long ago dropped his loser image through Charlie Brown's extraordinary successful cartoon home, "Peanuts."

         Charles "Sparky" Shultz died in 2000. In high school he may have been considered a loser, but "in life" he was a definite winner. It took time for him to discover what he really loved, and whet he did well with in life. And as Charlie Brown in his own way had the understanding and patience from his family, I am confident that Sparky did along the way as well..

~ Earl Nightengale

Put on a heart of compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience.
~ Colossians 3:12