Bruce Stewart, The Buloke Times
The “Wonderland Walk” is a spectacular 4.2 km (return) trek in the Grampians National Park of Western Victoria.
The track is sometimes steep and the more challenging sections have safety rails and flights of metal steps helping people negotiate the terrain.
The track passes through features such as the “Grand Canyon” and “Silent Street”, eventually climaxing at the Pinnacle Lookout. From this vantage point at 686 metres altitude there is a spectacular view of the valley below – including the town of Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield.
The “Wonderland Walk” is short but steep in places and for many of us the best way to recover and relax after walking to the Pinnacle is to visit the nearby Halls Gap ice creamery next to Stony Creek. The queue is often long but the wait is well worthwhile as one receives with grateful thanks 2-3 scoops of fabulous ice cream of favourite flavours in a large waffle cone.
Thinking of “ice cream” and “grateful thanks” reminds me of an old story told by a dad who said, “Last week, I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say Grace. As we bowed our heads he said, ‘God is good, God is great, thank You for the food, and I would even thank You more if mum gets us ice cream for dessert and liberty and justice for all! Amen!’”
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, the dad said, “I heard a woman remark, ‘That’s what’s wrong with this country. Kids today don’t even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!’
“Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, ‘Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?’
“As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, ‘I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer.’”
“‘Really?’ my son asked. ‘Yes,’ the man replied, then, in a theatrical type whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), ‘Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.’”
The dad goes on to say, “Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment, and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his ice cream sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, ‘Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already.’”
This young boy in his childish innocence did something which many choose not to do anymore – pausing and saying “thanks” before a meal, then giving sacrificially.
We only have to do without for a while to realise that we can’t take anything for granted. It is a simple but profound thing to say “thanks” and to have an “attitude of gratitude” for the things we often take for granted, e.g., food, clothing, fresh air to breathe, medicines, family, some nice autumn weather and what God has done for us through His Son Jesus which we are especially reminded of at Easter. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ”. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
If enough people paused and said “thanks” to our Creator and to people around us, and really meant it, then an “attitude of gratitude” would increasingly permeate society and change it for the better. Gratitude breaks down selfishness by getting our minds focussed less on self and more on others. Sadly it is not a “cool” thing to do to pause and say “thanks” before a meal. Why not dare to be different and say “thanks” to our Creator – and for the one who prepared the meal next time you sit down to eat? Have a joy-filled Easter.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 26 March 2024.
