Childhood. A space in time where the heaviness of life, that is yet to come, is completely irrelevant. A happy and safe place, or so it should be. When imagination and asking questions is encouraged and envied. Always learning something new, always ready to laugh yourself silly, always moving forward, but still living in the present moment. When did we stop growing and living like children? Do we really know better as adults?
Living childlike is different to being childish.
Childlike is all the positiveness of being young and impressionable, seeing the best in people, completely trusting, forgiving easily, trying to be understanding, leaving the past behind, having a resilience to getting hurt, willingness to engage with anyone (no matter the history or social status), believing in the impossible and daring to dream.
Childish? We all know what that is. Selfishness, jealousy, impatience, unnecessary mood-swings when things don't go our way or when we're hungry or tired, acting irrationally, saying what we know we shouldn't, causing little battles for the sake of it or for gaining the desired attention. Basically just being ridiculous... Even though it's always for a deeper, unsaid reason.
Most of us grow out of the childlike phase far too quickly, but for some reason hold on to part of our childish games. Why is that?
Sometimes it's hard to take responsibility over our actions, like when we need to say sorry or ask for forgiveness. And it's almost always painful to admit when we're wrong. But the people who are able to let go easily, are the ones who move forward more creditably.
I often dwell on that time, before things shifted from childlike to suddenly living according to what others think. Now we're constantly battling pride and insecurity rather than breathing out a fresh zest for everyday moments.
From where I'm standing, one thing is for sure, in that the best place to live is close to the heartbeat of home.
Our true Home where all heart's belong. May we always journey back in order to move forward, in the way life intended to be lived. Through the trusting eyes of a child, safe in the arms of the one and only, ever-loving Heavenly Father. Our good and true God.
“I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind." (Luke 6:35-36 MSG)
Kindness is so underrated.
