Every Child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged
of man.
~Rabindranath Tagore
I love kids (Not that they love me). In
fact, I would love to have probably 14 of them some day. Alright, at least 5 of
them. I wouldn’t even care even if they weren’t my own, as long as they are
kids and my house is full of them!
Getting down to stuff worth thinking
about though- Have you ever spent a whole day with a child? If not a whole day,
just a few hours? Not babysitting them, just trying to be one of them? Now that is a hard
task- to keep your age aside while spending some quality time with them. If you
haven’t, I reckon you do so. I’ll tell you why…
Take some time to notice a child. Yes,
they can be a pain in the wrong places at times, but off late, I’m trying to be
patient, to see what I can learn from them.
I don’t know how many of you guys watch
Bill Cosby’s ‘Kids say the darndest things’. I haven’t watched too many
episodes, but the one’s I have watched, I can for a fact say that they aren’t
pretending in front of the camera like most other reality shows, but they are
actually being themselves!
Or Junior Masterchef for that matter (I absolutely LOVE that show).
Have you noticed how innocent each of them are, even though it is such a huge
competition? I love how well the kids take defeat and it’s never about bringing
the other person down, but just about cooking their hearts out! And, there is
hardly ever a bad dish! Not to forget how adorable they are!
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I tend to lose
my cool very easily when kids get naughty. Somehow, I always expect them to be
well behaved! I always tend to forget that kids are supposed to be kids and not
well-behaved adult wannabes! Not that chastising them is a wrong thing, but its
important to allow them to be kids!
Have you ever noticed how when a child
wants to pull a prank on you, and if you ever get hurt (badly), they end up
being extremely sorry for that? Rather the guilt remains for a very long time?
Or how they love to always think positive? Or how they are ever ready to help?
Or how they do something not because they’re good at it but because they always
just want to have fun? Or how their smile can just lighten up your day?
I’ve probably brought out my point
already with all that talking. But what I really want to bring out is this:
Luke 18: 17 (The Bible)
“Truly I tell you,
anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Wow! Isn’t it amazing how God Himself does not expect you to be someone perfect, or a high-achiever, or do a couple of good
things to make Him or another person happy? He only asks you to come like 'a child'!
I’m blessed to be a teacher at Sunday School! Though
I find myself failing God at this huge task given to me by Him ( even preparing
for a class! ), He’s still been SO faithful and patient with me, because He
teaches me something every week! I learn how even though I am unprepared most
of the time, the kids don’t judge me for making a mistake. They don’t expect me
to be the best either. Instead, the joy they bring to heart, the smile they bring to my
face and the laughter they bring to my soul, I really CANNOT put them down in
words.
How long has it been since you last you quit
worrying about the busy schedules and the number of people you have to please every
day? How often do you put on that fake smile, when at the back of your mind you
really want to strangle someone? When is the last time you’ve let your heart
smile?
“Pausing to listen to an airplane in the sky,
stooping to watch a ladybug on a plant, sitting on a rock to watch the waves
crash over the quayside- children have their own agendas and timescales. As they
find out more about their world and their palce in it, they work hard not to
let adults hurry them. We need to hear their voices”
Sheer childlike innocence and the places it can get
you to- Whoa!
Be a child. I don’t mean to quit acting your age,
but just, ummm, ‘BE’ a child!
Kids! They can remind you the secret of real joy-
something you chose to forget, while you were so busy growing up!
A few Quotes to think about:
-You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in
doing nothing. What! Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to
skip, play, and run around all day long? Never in his life will he be so
busy again. ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762
-Children make you want to start life over. ~Muhammad
Ali
-Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that
isn't music. ~William Stafford
-Children find everything in nothing; men find nothing in
everything. ~Giacomo Leopardi
The difference between childishness and childlike-ness is vast.
ReplyDeleteWonderful thoughts Nancy! God bless you!
ReplyDeleteThe blind faith of a child leaves me baffled! A 5-year old puts his hand into the hand of his father to help him across the street. He has this faith that says,''No matter how harsh the situation, Daddy's going to get me to the other side safe and sound!'' That's child-like faith! A kind of dependence sprouting from infirmity! Without it, we're almost close to making ourselves what we want to be. With it, we're closer to being what our Creator wants us to be(Dependent on Him and not independent)!
Cup of tea in hand, sitting by my window and reading this lighthearted, genuine and heartfelt article. Love it! Children are like my favourite topic. And yes, i'd love to read more from you! God bless Nancikins!
ReplyDeletethe difference between pretending and being yourself is even bigger than the difference between the distances between the sky and the earth.
ReplyDeletehow often have i wanted to go back to those good old days..... not bothering about stuff i neednt bother, not having a care in the world and going to sleep by listening to my mother's bed time stories and lullabies. i know they've gone but the memories will stay on
ReplyDelete