From my daughter, Elizabeth (Lisa) Elliott:

When I was 6 years old, my mom asked me what I REALLY wanted for Christmas.

With 7 kids to get presents for, they were limited to only $20 per kid.

I said, “What I Really want? Anything?”

She asked me again, “Yes, What do you REALLY want?”

“A plunger.” I said.

“What?”

“A PLUNGER!”

My reasoning was simple. At 6 years old, I knew that a plunger must be VERY valuable because of two things:

• There was only one in the house – and 

• They wouldn’t let me touch it.

Mom asked.

“What will you do with it?” 

“I wanna use it like I’m Spiderman – sticking to the kitchen floor, or pretend it’s my peg-leg, or use it like a sword, or stick it inside my shirt like I got hit with an arrow!”

When Christmas morning arrived, I didn’t think I was going to get my beloved plunger.

But I DID!

And how happy I was, playing to my heart’s content!

Years later when I became a teacher, I would tell this story to my students, but I’d add this:

“I misinterpreted it’s use. For what was actually a tool I thought was a toy. I was using the plunger for all these things, but it wasn’t made for any of them.

I think that in life we have desires and things that we think we should be. And there are all these things we can do with our lives, but we were really made for a special purpose.  At first glance, like the plunger, it seems awkward and difficult to know what we were made for.  Yet, because you have a purpose, those weird things about you are there for a reason, part of your design, that isn’t always obvious, until your talents are needed. Then all those quirks come into use.

A plunger may seem like a humble instrument, made for only one thing, and perhaps not appear to be very important. But when you need one, it’s the only thing that’ll do!  You may not think that your life has a purpose, but you are valuable, and when YOU are needed, NO ONE ELSE WILL DO!