Do you still gaze in wonder at the stars in the sky?
Do you still dream of soaring as you watch the eagle fly?
Can you still see the world for all the good it has to give?
When you look at life through the eyes of a child,
that’s when you truly live.
I spend a lot of time with adults who are anxious, depressed, fearful, critical, inert, hopeless.Do you still dream of soaring as you watch the eagle fly?
Can you still see the world for all the good it has to give?
When you look at life through the eyes of a child,
that’s when you truly live.
Some have dementia, others do not...
Many are patients, some are friends and acquaintances and others are family.
I spend a little time with children who are inquisitive, creative, joyful, accepting, energetic, optimistic.
Some will stay this way, others will not...
When do we leave our inner child behind and put on the cynicism of adulthood?
Why do we need to be with children in order to make crazy glasses out of paper, coloured cellophane, pipe cleaners and lots and lots of sticky tape?
I think each staff meeting at work should start with an activity like this. We could all wear our funny glasses as we review the agenda which includes finding ways to trim ten million dollars from the hospital budget in the next fiscal year. Perhaps we would laugh instead of feeling angry and anxious about inevitable changes down the road.
There are children who have faced hardship and death out of season and in many instances they have inspired others with their faith and optimism. I Never Saw Another Butterfly is a collection of poems and drawings done by Jewish children who spent time in the Terezin Concentration Camp during World War 2. Very few of them survived, and while many of the selections speak of the horror of the place, there is courage and resilience in the words and images.
Fear
My heart still beats inside my breast
While friends depart for other worlds.
Perhaps it’s better – who can say? –
Than watching this, to die today?
No, no, my God, we want to live!
Not watch our numbers melt away.
We want to have a better world,
We want to work – we must not die!
Eva Pickova ~12 years old
My heart still beats inside my breast
While friends depart for other worlds.
Perhaps it’s better – who can say? –
Than watching this, to die today?
No, no, my God, we want to live!
Not watch our numbers melt away.
We want to have a better world,
We want to work – we must not die!
Eva Pickova ~12 years old
We can be overwhelmed by real or perceived evil and misfortune around us, or we can look through eyes that see beauty, joy and hope in the future. In Matthew 18, Jesus' disciples asked him this question;-
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
(Jesus) called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said:
“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me..."
I am a child at heart.
ReplyDeleteI agree that your meetings should start with an activity. The paper glasses would be fun. Why not show up with the supplies and wearing your own?
Tonight for my campfire program the kids and most adults played with clay. No two things looked alike and all had fun. Life should be fun.
some say children are like a clean slate, or a sponge. They take in everything we tell me.
ReplyDeleteI love my young students. They come to you and give you hugs.
Glasses like those might have made department head meetings bearable. My goodness but they were awful.
ReplyDeleteIf you can expand on your idea and market a book it will become a best seller and you will be the new business guru!
ReplyDeleteWe all need to spend some time with children. They give us such insight into the real meaning of life.
Good post!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the inspiration, Ruth! I often forget the joy of looking at the world through the eyes of a child, and finding the FUN in my tasks!
ReplyDeleteAh yes,to be more childlike.This world would be a better place if only we would learn to see with the eyes of a child.My precious granddaughter helps me in this way.I have much to learn.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,Ruth
Excellent blog and very thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think I act too much like a child - and have to hold myself back.
ReplyDeleteAh well...
Great post, very inspiring.
Gaelyn- Someday I might. The thought makes me smile. I am sure your kids and adults had a memorable time with you.
ReplyDeleteAnn- You are fortunate to work with children. It is rewarding work.
AC- I think our meetings have much in common with your department head meetings.
NCMW- lol!, I will have to work on that project. "Arts and crafts for business meetings and other ways to boost creative thinking."
CS-thanks!
Evelyn- Life get heavy at times and we have to look for joy. Children do help in the search.
Ruth- I am sure the time you spend with your granddaughter makes you smile long after she has gone. She is so sweet.
Omalois- You are lucky to be be near Sam and Jesse and they are lucky to be near you.
Wendy- You sound like a fun person!
It seems the less we know about the world the happier we are some times.It can be a challenge to keep a positive attitude.If we look at the big picture much of what we worry about means nothing. Yet we still worry.
ReplyDelete