I had a couple on my flight last night traveling with their sixteen month old son. He sat contentedly on his mom's lap watching Elmo. All was well. Alas, the battery on the DVD player died, causing the baby to have a complete melt down. He was horrified and started screaming, "Elmo!" "Elmo!"

I could just imagine the little guy's frustration...why weren't his parents doing what he said? Why, in heaven's name, were they doing just the opposite and putting the DVD away?

"Elmo!" he screamed with increased impatience.

He started throwing himself around in frustration, while his mother gently tried to explain that Elmo wasn't working and that they'd watch it as soon as they got home.

"Elmo!" "Elmo!"

She finally picked him up and brought him back to the galley.

He looked at me, his big brown eyes filled with tears, "Elmo," he said plaintively. Maybe he thought I could convince his parents to turn Elmo back on.

He had a little figurine clutched in his hand and hoping to distract him, I asked him who it was.

"Diego," he whimpered.

At least he'd stopped crying. I'm not familiar with any children's shows, so I hadn't a clue who Diego was and was at a loss for a follow up question.

At this point he put a chubby hand on each side of his mom's face, turned her face to him and said imploringly, slowly, "Elmo."

It was pitiful. He didn't understand why he couldn't watch it and he had a very limited vocabulary with which to make his case (remember, he's only sixteen months old). Though he did calm down, he never did give up trying to convince his parents to turn Elmo back on.

I am like that little boy sometimes. I can't understand why I can't have something. I can't see that there's a good reason, that God hasn't just arbitrarily decided not to give me my heart's desire. But I can trust that there is a reason. I can know that I have a loving Father that does not want to withhold any good thing from me. If we, as mere human parents don't want to withhold any good thing from our children how can we doubt the intent of He who is Love? (Mt. 7:7-12, Lk. 11:11-12).