Each summer in southwestern Washington, an international kite-flying festival is held on Long Beach Peninsula, a pencil-thin sliver of land jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. Hundreds of kites of all sizes, colors, shapes and dimensions are entered in the weeklong festival, which draws thousands of spectators to the beach and boardwalk to view the many creations rippling in the wind.
It's a spectacular sight filling the sky.There are kite trains and arches, fighter kites and big-band ballet kites. There are stunt kites and elaborate, colorful kites that are works of beauty. Many of the kites cost hundreds of dollars and perhaps more.
But there are also simple, inexpensive kites, usually flown by children who want to be a part of the festival. Even though these kites aren't judged for their beauty or ability to gracefully soar through the sky, any one can participate in the festival. But sometimes, youngsters have a hard time getting their kites up. Sometimes they persist, sometimes they quit in despair.
Life itself may be a little like that.
Undoubtedly, we all want to soar in life, but sometimes, for whatever reason, we may feel we're not getting our "kites of life" off the ground, and when that happens sometimes we quit in despair.
Sometimes we hold back because we're afraid of making a mistake. Sometimes we might not try at all because of fear of failure. Sometimes we are intimidated because we feel so inadequate when compared to others. As we stand on "the beach of life" with our simple offerings, we might think we cannot soar as others do, so why even give it a go? We might think our bland abilities pale in comparison to the skill of others. We might not serve because we feel others can serve better. We might not give because others are giving more. We might not try because we feel we cannot succeed as well as others.
Fear of failure. Intimidation. Feelings of inadequacy. Are these not tools of Satan, which can stop our eternal progress?
Fortunately, the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us that we - as sons and daughters of God - can, indeed, soar in life. That we can succeed. That we are of great worth, no matter what our individual talents may be. That we are not compared to others by a kind and loving Father, but only judged by our own deeds. That our soaring isn't based on wealth or position, but on goodness and righteousness. That because of that righteousness we are heirs of our Father's kingdom.
But, like the kite, we, too, must be tethered to something. If not, who knows where we may end up, tossed about by every wind? The gospel is our anchor and we are not left alone.
We might all feel we have some inadequacies in life, but the experience of Moses should give us strength and comfort:
"And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, not since thou has spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue.
And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." (Ex. 4:10-12.)
Had Moses felt too inadequate to even try or had given up in despair because of his "slow tongue," who knows what the outcome might have been? The course of history certainly would have been different. But Moses accepted his challenges and "soared." He became "one of the greatest of men," whose ministry extended beyond the limits of his own mortal lifetime. (See Bible Dictionary, 1979 LDS King James edition, p. 735.)
The Apostle Paul also suffered a physical affliction, which could have caused him to withdraw from his great calling had he succumbed to the buffetings of Satan: ". . . There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me. . . .
" For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
" And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Cor. 12:7-9.)
Certainly, our confidence can "wax strong in the presence of God." (See D&C 121:45.)
Interestingly, the same wind that carries a soaring kite to great heights also causes another one to flounder, unable to rise above the ground. Undoubtedly, what we do with the wind blowing in our lives - and, surely, there will be windy days we will have to face - determines whether we will soar into the air or flounder on the ground. A kite rises against the wind, rather than with it. Perhaps our greatest strength and growth comes as we stand strong against the winds of our own feelings of inadequacy.
