Candy. It’s delicious. It’s inviting. It’s shareable! Chocolate is always delicious in any form, but as a kid I loved fruity candies the most. Skittles, sweet-tarts, gummy bears, jolly rancher, now and later, airheads, and of course Starburst to name a few. The great thing about these candies is the variety of flavor options. A snickers will taste like a snickers until the end of the snickers, but you can close your eyes and pop in a random skittle to be surprised by the flavor or choose a specific one depending on your mood.
“You express the truth of your character with the choice of your actions.”
Steve Maraboli
One universal problem with kids and candy is that their favorite flavors are usually similar. Everyone loves red and pink Starburst. If you were the kid opening a fresh pack of Starburst on the bus, you had a choice to make:
To share or not to share.
If you chose to share, then you have to decide if you were going to give someone your best options. Children quickly spread the word about the awesome kid handing out the cherry and strawberry Starburst.
You’d be known as the friendliest kid around.
Or maybe you chose to hand out the orange and lemon only, keeping all the red and pinks safely tucked away for your enjoyment later. Sure, many will be grateful to have a piece of candy to enjoy as well, but they will be left feeling not-so-special. No one spreads the word of the kid who hands out lemon Starburst.
What I learned at a young age is to enjoy the lemon Starburst. Whether I was the kid handing out the candy or receiving from someone generous, I learned to enjoy the lemon Starburst. Those receiving from me got the best I could offer, and those offering got to keep the best for themselves. Once I learned to enjoy the lemon starburst, every other flavor was just an added blessing. And I was never disappointed.
Another unexpected thing happened too. If I were to approach someone and ask if I could have a Starburst then tell them “don’t worry about giving me your favorite one’s, I like the lemon one’s too,” not only would they be happy to give me a lemon Starburst, but I’d usually get all four from the pack. Sure, some lucky friend may end up with one pink Starburst, but I routinely enjoyed four. Not only would I receive more than I asked for, but the next time that same friend had Starburst, they would find me just to offer me more lemon Starburst without me asking!
Enjoy the lemon Starburst.
Lance Gambrell
So here’s the takeaway:
Learn to enjoy the lemon Starbursts of life.
Other’s will be drawn to you, because you won’t let them down.
You will be blessed with more because you appreciate the little.
And just like having four yellow starburst to someone’s one pink, you’ll notice how much more you really have that you are thankful for.
When you can keep a positive mindset,
find the good in people and give them your best even when you struggle to like them,
and be thankful continually for what you have instead of worrying about getting something more or different –
life is much sweeter.
Everything else is just added blessings.
Or,(cue the dad joke) the cherry Starburst on top!
Everyday Chivalry 