Friends, McDonalds and Your Life

 I never really thought that the words FRIENDS, MCDONALD'S and LIFE can actually go together for a very valuable lesson in life - directed at a 4 year old no less.

Take the time to read this. It's a short letter with a very good lesson within it.

P.S. It's not just for 4 year olds!

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A NOTE TO CHEYANNE
by Ron White

 

This is something I wrote to my 4 year old cousin Cheyanne when I was 30 years old. I have edited it for this article for the lesson that we as adults can learn from her.
Cheyanne,

If we stay as good of friends as we are now, I know you will read this one day. You said something in the car that made me think. I asked you if you were looking forward to preschool starting.

'No!'

'Cheyanne, why not? Don't you want to meet some friends and have some kids at your birthday party? All you know is adults.'

'I don't want friends at school. I want friends at McDonalds!'

It brought our conversation to an abrupt halt. Because, Cheyanne, I am a 30 year old man and sometimes I don't want friends at school either. I also want friends at McDonald's.

 

There have been times in my life when I chased the McDonald's friends. To this day, women from McDonald's still cause my head to turn. Sometimes I let the happy meal distract me, instead of the delayed gratification of the degree. Sometimes friends from McDonald's seem fun and carefree and friends from school seem boring.

Of course, these are metaphors and I am not talking about fast food or degrees. Cheyanne, it is the same at 4 as it is 30. Human nature tells us that we need what is on the other side, the forbidden, or what doesn't take much effort. Human nature tells us that what takes work and moves slower can't be fun. But, that is wrong.

Life is no happy meal. It isn't instant gratification. It takes the discipline of school but the reward is so much more than a chocolate sundae and a Hamburger slide.

Cheyanne, I hope that you want the friends that it is initially hard to want. I pray that you want the friends who will be there when the happy meal is over and will walk with you towards faithfulness, self control, success, hope, hard work, goal setting, focus, self-discipline, honesty, integrity and love.

I don't claim to be a wise man, a poet or a saint. But, my heart beats as loud as thunder for the things that I believe and I believe to my core that delayed gratification is the hardest thing to teach – yet one of life’s most important lessons.

I love you very much Cheyanne. I have 26 years on you and I struggle with the same thing. However, who you surround yourself with will determine the outcome of your life. Make the choices VERY carefully.

You have to live with the choices you make.

Your Favorite Cousin,
Ronnie