Becoming little

“Young people are in a condition like permanent intoxication, because life is sweet and they are growing.” ― Aristotle.

“I wish I could back to being a kid, times were simpler then. No stresses, no responsibilities, just simple.” Sound familiar? I have yet to have met an adult who hasn’t thought this at least once in their lives. As we ‘learn’ to become adults, we somehow forget what it means to enjoy life and live life simply, as if that was only a thing children do. But, I believe that this is untrue.

I often hear it said, that kids have no stress or responsibility. “Enjoy the freedom while you can kid, it’ll be different when you grow up!” Is that the truth though? NO. Of course, kids have stresses and responsibilities. They are simply relative to their age and abilities. However, amid those stresses (which to adults seem simple, but to a child or young person seem like mountains to climb) children and young people still manage to maintain a perspective on the things that matter in life: friends, family, joy, laughter, kindness, and so on.

My point is that kids have a certain perspective on life, that is unjaded, untainted, and dare I say, free! As a parent, often I think my girls don’t have a filter, which can make life a little trickier at times, but it’s simpler and more joyous!

We read in the Bible, where Jesus talks about having faith like little children: “And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”

You see, we have lots to learn from children and young people (as they do from us adults). I wonder what children and young people you have in your life, and what perspective change they can bring to you? I wonder what that perspective change can do for you?

And in terms of faith, well, I love that Jesus tells us to have faith like children, because He is essentially saying, keep it simple, when our tendency is to overcomplicate matters. Please don’t think I am insinuating we should have blind faith, (Jesus does also teach us to love God with all our minds – reasoning and understanding are needed for that), however, I wonder if we need to hit the reset button, and simplify our thinking and ultimately our lives.

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN THE SEPTEMBER 2017 EDITION OF THE GAMLINGAY GAZZETTE.