Swirling

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement

Swirling

Children never fail to stand fascinated, watching a penny whirl around the circular basin of the Spiral Wishing Well. Spinning faster and faster as the circle grows smaller and smaller, it disappears into the vortex of the bowl, leaving the children begging for another penny to watch it’s circular dance again. The charity that periodically collects the pennies benefits from the intriguing  invention which takes advantage of the scientific principal of gravity. A clever gadget attached to the rim of the bowl makes sure the penny starts rolling on its edge for the journey around and around the smooth surface of the funnel. Watching the sparkling eyes and smiles of the little faces makes it easy for a parent to reach for another penny after the first one disappears into the vortex.

 

The dizzying path of the coin makes one think of the ease with which a child’s attention  is grabbed. It is important that the right things grasp their attention, and they are protected from circling into a narrowing fascination with dangerous things. It makes one think of life. It seems to go faster and faster until our time disappears down a mysterious vortex. The force of gravity drives the penny in its spiral. We are wise to monitor what our children are spending their hours pursuing because the time we have to establish their values spins faster and faster until they spin beyond our influence. God help us guide our children to follow the path you spin for them. God help us filter what fascinating pursuits we should leave alone and which are from you. Help our lives make a beneficial impact on this earth because of how we spin our way around in this world.