After a recent snow, a younger couple asked my wife and me to go sledding. It’s been a few years. The large plastic sled known as “The Beast” had been stored in my shed, collecting dust. In its heyday, it was the fastest sled on the hill. Against my wife’s better judgment, I accepted the couple’s offer.

 

We met at a local park where there was a very steep hill. The parking lot had not been plowed, and when we arrived, I found our friends dismayed that we would not have a place to park. This could have been an easy way for me to avoid an embarrassing experience, but I wanted to show the couple and my wife that age is just a number.

 

I gunned my car forward down the road. Gathering speed, I cranked the steering wheel towards the parking lot, pushing my car into over a foot of snow. I managed to park off the road, but my car was buried. Our friends, in disbelief, managed to get their car stuck by attempting the same foolish maneuver.

 

No matter, it was time for the hill.

 

Most of the kids sledding started three-quarters of the way up the hill. The last quarter was so steep, it could only be accessed by climbing on hands and knees. After one run down the hill with my wife, I set my sights on getting to the top. My wife decided to remain below.

 

The two middle school-age kids at the top were surprised to see an older gentleman manage to get to the top of the hill with his old sled. Sweat dripping from my face, I managed to get the sled in position and off I went.

 

There was too much speed to control my trajectory, which was towards the two jumps those kids had probably made. The first jump was enough to launch me into the air, my sled a foot or so below me.

 

We landed together on the second jump. There was a resounding “crack,” which thankfully was not me, but “The Beast” splitting down the middle, ending its reign as the fastest sled around.

 

My back did not feel good. I was finished sledding as well. We watched our friends and then went home.

 

The next morning, I managed to get out of bed and get ready for school. I found that I couldn’t turn my head to the right without a lot of pain. No matter, I had to get to school. Once on the highway, my car began to shudder and shake, making it difficult to hold the steering wheel. There was snow in the wheels, causing an imbalance.

 

It was as I sat in my car, wobbling down the highway, unable to turn my head to the right, the results of my pride and bravado became evident. In my attempt to impress others, I had become stiff-necked (literally) and unbalanced (car).

 

There is a verse in Proverbs (29:1) that says, “A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.” It’s not a fun verse. My version would go something like this – "An older, prideful man who tries to go sledding will get a stiff neck, and his sled will be shattered beyond recovery.”

 

As we move into spring and hopefully warmer weather, my prayer is that we will continue to embrace our Xaverian value of humility. I know that I need to do a better job.

 

Thank you for your support,

 

John Thornburg