Anything interesting happen this week?
Anyway, now that our trip to the election booth is over – except for our friends in Georgia, it’s pretty obvious that the divisions affecting our country are real and not just a creation of the media. And truth be told, it’s entirely possible over the next weeks or months, this divide will become even more acute.
That’s why I was so intrigued with this story about Ty Burningham, a 25 year-old special needs individual from Davis County, Utah.
“According to those who know him, Ty spreads happiness wherever he goes and can often be spotted cruising around his neighborhood on a scooter. He also loves chatting it up with everyone he meets. According to his neighbors, he’s a pure joy to be around!”
As such, he has many fans like local teens Maddie Weger and Hunter Garrett, who recently graduated from Davis High School. Maddie noted, “He’s just so friendly to everyone. He’s got that personality where it’s like, you see him, you just can’t not smile, you know?” Hunter added, “He just lights up a room everywhere he is.”
When the teens noticed his scooter was wearing out, they got together with ten of their fellow graduates to make Ty’s 25th birthday in July his best yet. What did they do? They pitched in and bought him a brand new electric scooter!
I’ve watched the video numerous times, if for no other reason than to see Ty’s infectious smile and to hear him utter the words: “Aw, sweet!”
What really struck me was hearing his friends saying that “seeing him so happy was a gift in itself....” It was the least they could do after Ty brought them so much joy. And they closed by saying, “It’s not that big, but Ty, we just love him.”
As I read that last sentence, I couldn’t help but think: Maybe these kids are teaching us adults a powerful lesson about how the United States – heck, the world – could look a bit different if we would “just love him or her.” What would that look like? We’re reminded in Corinthians that among other things, “love is patient and kind.”
Ultimately, the election results will be all sorted out. But in the meantime, I’ll think about how those kids delivered an “Aw, sweet!” moment for all of us.
