Love for Chester

Every so often, I love hearing the story of Chester the Little Pony.

Especially when my mom tells it.

When my sister and I were younger, my mom used to tell us two stories we loved: one was about Bert and Ernie (a story with a lesson on forgiveness), and the other was about Chester the pony, and it is a great little tale about a pet owner who finally realizes his horse needs attention on more than just weekends and holidays—the times when kids normally come to pet and ride Chester.

I didn't have the best day one day last week. When I have a lot of free time, I tend to pile on extra projects and bog myself down with more than I really want to handle. So, my free time doesn't become so free anymore. On top of that, I'm moving soon, so I have a few stresses in that area of my life. Then a couple of things happened on Thursday that sort of upset me.

But I love Thursdays.

Such a great book

I have a regular dinner/hangout with some of my best friends on Thursdays, and these times always brighten my day. I left that evening feeling better, but I was really dreading my drive home. I live quite far away from most of my friends, so I do a lot of driving each week. And I mean a lot. On occasion I get tired of listening to so much music, but then the silence can become too loud, as well. Sometimes I really just need someone to talk to—or listen to.

So I called my mom.

I felt exhausted in so many ways, and I asked my mom if she would tell me a story, thinking she would talk about her latest golf adventure or something funny about my dad or their cat. But, secretly, I think I really wanted her to tell me the story about Chester.

I almost started crying when her first sentence had Farmer Miller's name in it.

I think parents instinctively know what they're kids need even when we don't say it—and even if those kids are 28 years old.

As I sat there and mindlessly drove while I intently listened to a story I've heard a countless amount of times, my heart felt uplifted. If my tear ducts worked better, I might have cried. My mom even made me tell her at the end what the moral of the story is.

We need to love every day, not just Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Chester isn't the only one who gets lonely when he's not feeling like people care about him on a daily basis. We all need love, and that's one more reason why we should make more concerted efforts to show people we truly care about them. Farmer Miller's heart ached deeply when he realized Chester had wandered off because of his own broken heart. When he finally found his dear pet and brought him home, he promised Chester would have visitors every single day, because love should not be selective.

Thankfully, we have a God who loves us daily, regardless of how many times we mess up or wander off like hurt little ponies. His love never fails, and we're called to share that love with others. It's important not to let people feel unwanted like Chester felt.

Each day you wake up is a new chance to love, and that's definitely an opportunity you shouldn't let go to waste.