Noddy says No!

Ever watched the cartoon show on Noddy?

If you haven’t then Noddy is a little boy in Toy World, who is a Taxi driver who delivers packages to toys in toy town. Noddy is a good natured, pleasant, nice young man who is always helpful and kind. The little town also has two goblins who are always up to mischief and Noddy often comes to the rescue of Toy town!

I am way over the age of watching cartoons, but still enjoy ‘em ... wait a minute, is there an age limit for cartoons? (Chuckle)

Anyway in this particular episode I watched, the goblins ask Noddy for a ride in his car. Noddy agrees and gives them a ride. But the Goblins begin to demand more of him. They ask him to take him from one place to another and refuse to let him go. Finally Noddy is tired, hungry and to make matters verse his fuel tank is almost empty.

He finally gets rid of the goblins after a long ordeal but his tank has no fuel to take him back to town and Noddy has to walk back to get some fuel.

An old gentleman who is a good friend of Noddy meets him on his way and asks him what is wrong. Noddy explains. His friend tells him he needs to learn to say “No!”
“But, But... they said please and thank you...” says Noddy.
That does not mean you have to do all that they say explains the old man.

The nest day, the Goblins come around to find Noddy again, but Noddy says No. He explains that he is busy and has other things to do and would just rather not hang out with them! His old friend is pleased and says, “Noddy, you are now growing up!“
And Noddy breaks into a little song, which ends with “You can say No, and still be Nice!”

Why do I narrate all this?
Well, I for one have a lot of trouble saying No. I tend to associate it with being offensive, rude or impolite and many a time end up messed up because of just that. A family friend of mine came over and she was talking about the same sort of thing too... I think in some ways we all struggle with saying No in different situations and to different types of pressures.

But many a time, we need to say No. To protect ourselves sometimes if not for anything else - Just like Noddy did!

So this is a reminder to me and the world (including toy world!) – No is a small but powerful world. Use it when you should to yourself (when fighting temptation) and to others (when need arrises).

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . Just as you say No, as so good Father should, Teach me to say No as a wise child should.