Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

My granddaughter Charlie’s life is filled with unicorns and glitter, ballet tutus and magic wands, afternoons in the park and day after day of dress-up play. Conversations with that 4-year-old are amusing, delightful, and never, ever dull.

A few days before Christmas her parents packed Charlie and her two sisters into the car and took off to see the lights at Lafreniere Park. Apparently, they were not the only people with that idea. Traffic crept on their route to the park and only became worse once they arrived.

“I’ve seen a lot of bad things in my life,” Charlie said, “but this traffic is the worst.”

“Charlie, you’ve had a really good life,” her 6-year-old sister, Olivia, said. Charlie just stared at the cars until her mother was able to get her to focus her attention on the beautiful Christmas lights.

There have been times when I, too, have needed someone to help redirect me to look at the lights. In a recent conversation with a friend, I mentioned an area that’s long been a focus of my prayers. She was quick to remind me of the many ways God has answered that prayer, but just not in the way I thought He would. Through her wise guidance, I was able to see the situation in a different light.

When I write this column, I often pray for every single person who will read it. So, as I write this, I’m praying that even if something bad happens, you will not let it stop you from seeing what is good all around you. May you never let a brief traffic jam define your journey through life.

Ronny Michel can be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.