In a small town in Wisconsin, a young child by the name of Kim was born and raised (I am using this name because it can represent a boy or a girl, so you can more easily identify with this child). Kim was a small child, and was the target of the neighborhood bullies.

Every morning, Kim would get dressed for school, and then stand at the front door and shake with fear. Kim knew that the neighborhood bullies were waiting and it terrified Kim to the very core. For every morning, as soon as Kim left the house, the neighborhood kids would start hurling snowballs. Kim would get hit in the back of the head, the face, arms, and legs, everywhere. The snowballs stung her skin, but the wounds went deeper. Emotionally, each snowball that hit was a statement of unacceptance, cruelty and shame.

Kim would wait at her front door until the last possible minute. Then she would madly make a dash for it, sprinting as hard as she could all the way to school. Unfortunately, the bullies knew this was her strategy, and so they waited for her, knowing she had to come out sooner or later. As soon as Kim left the house, the first snowball would come crashing in, the icy cold burning Kim's skin, and the humiliation burning deep within the soul.

After school created the same dilemma; the same trauma. She would wait in the school, till everyone but the janitor had gone. Then finally, the janitor would need to lock up, and so Kim would once again make a dash for it, and just like in the morning, the painful snowballs would be waiting to make their assault. Each school day would begin and end the same way, with Kim running madly from the neighborhood bullies, crying in pain and despair with every quickened step.

Then, one evening, when Kim came out of the school, in the familiar cautious and fearful approach, something different happened. There were no snowballs!! Surprised yet still hesitant, Kim crept forward, breath held, eyes darting around, expectantly. But there was no one to be seen. With a deep sigh of relief and cautious hope, Kim set out for home, enjoying the strange comfort of being free of terror and pain as she reached the end of the block.

It didn’t last long, from seemingly out of nowhere the bullies appeared and quickly approached. And then, as if someone had coordinated the attack, dozens of snowballs were hurled in Kim's direction. With escalated terror and anxiety, Kim turned and fled. Motivated by the surprise and fear of the ambush, Kim ran harder than ever before. Snowballs rained on Kim's head and back, each exploding snowball escalating the sense of overwhelming terror. Kim ran blindly, tears leaving warm trails down cheeks that were chilled by the frantic run from these attackers.

Darting through the streets, Kim had no plan or route of escape. The only thought was to get away from the emotional terrorists. Unable to concentrate, Kim was soon lost, but that was not the main concern. Right now, the only thought was to somehow get away from the crowd of pain hurlers that pursued close behind. And then, Kim made a fateful mistake. Darting around a corner, Kim did not realize, until it was too late, that the road had turned into a tall brick wall just a few hundred feet down the short pathway creating a dead end.

Frantic, Kim turned to escape, but it was too late, the bullies had arrived and blocked off any retreat. Kim backed away, crying and screaming in fear and desperation. The assault continued, the frozen bombs hitting their targets against Kim's face, arms and body. Kim backed away, knowing that her path of retreat would be a short one. Much too soon, Kim felt the brick firmness on her back. Desperation heightened as Kim realized that there was nowhere else to go. Kim slid along the wall, dodging and blocking as many white missiles as possible when something bumped Kim's leg. Out of the corner of Kim's eye, a garbage can was spotted.

On impulse, Kim grabbed the lid off the can and held it firmly as a shield. The sweet sound of the "plink, plink, plink" was music to her hears. Each sound was an affirmation of safety and freedom; freedom from pain, freedom from fear, freedom from humiliation. Kim squatted down, making her already small body as inaccessible as possible, allowing the lid to protect her completely. After several minutes, the bullies gave up and went on their way.

Kim continued to squat down, fearing that the momentary repast was just a trap. However, after several minutes, the realization hit that Kim was indeed safe. Quietly, Kim held the lid up and declared, "You have saved my life!!! You have transformed my life from fear and pain to safety and freedom. I shall carry you wherever I go!!!"

And that is exactly what Kim did. From that day forward, Kim never went anywhere without that garbage can lid. It was more than a shield; it was a security blanket and a friend. No one had ever protected Kim from the bullies in life, until the garbage can lid emerged. Kim clung to the lid wherever her travels of life went. Kim grew and had many adventures, everywhere with the garbage can lid. The garbage can lid went to the dentist, to the doctor's, on dates, even to the Junior Prom.

One day, Kim' soul mate emerged, and it was love at first sight. They dated for a couple of years, and then the decision was made to wed. The fiancé had only one request; that the garbage can lid be left home on the wedding day. Kim agonized over the decision. There was no doubt about the level of love for this truly wonderful soul mate and fiancé. However, the garbage can lid had been Kim's sole source of safety and protection for much of Kim's life. How could something so important be cast aside on Kim’s most important day?

Kim did not get any sleep that night, tossing and turning, there were also many tears shed in struggle and self examination. Finally, as dawn broke, Kim had an epiphany. The realization hit mightily that while the garbage can lid had served as a wonderful protector in childhood, the time had come to step up and be an adult.

Kim was able to set the garbage can lid down, and it was never again picked up.

What is your garbage can lid?

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