The Wonder Of A Child

Have you ever watched a baby interact with the world?
Everything is new and exciting.
Every sound is fresh.
Every experience is untried.

A baby comes into the world totally dependent.
Within one year’s time, crawling becomes walking and babbling becomes talking.
Within one year, a cup has been mastered and food is eaten with their own hand.
The personality that God gave each child has come through loud and clear.

It is their childlike wonder that astounds me.
Wonder that finds amazement in everything from their own toes to the human face before them.
A small child has an infectious laugh.
It is a belly laugh that catches the parent off guard yet is the most delightful sound there is.

The tearing of a piece of paper can cause uproarious laughter.
Playing peek-a-boo can keep them entertained for quite some time.
The world is new and undiscovered.
One look into the eyes of a small child and you will see.

When does their sense of wonder go away?
When does their uproarious laughter give way to a more subdued response?
When does each new day become routine?
When do they leave childhood for the more grown up world?

It is not until we are adults that we long for the childlike wonder that was once ours.
It is not until we are parents ourselves that we want to stop the clock from running so fast.
I understand why J. M. Barrie felt the need to write, Peter Pan.
Barrie knew that the ticking clock comes for us all.

People would argue that childhood wonder must be left behind to make way for adulthood.
We are in a rush to move to the next stage as quickly as possible.
We tend to leave one stage behind, lock it in a box, and store it away somewhere.
We fail to realize that keeping those stages close by will make us more compassionate.

I watched a child in a restaurant.
Respectable manners should be taught and expected.
However, a child is not a mini adult.
Milk will spill, the fork will fall on the floor, and the people at nearby tables are interesting.

Food needs to be cut in bite sized pieces.
Sitting still for the duration of the meal is quite difficult.
Spoons sound like drums when they are played on the table.
Salt and pepper shakers are interesting toys to play with.

I saw the frustration in the mother’s eyes as she tried to have a nice lunch out.
I saw the frustration in the child as he found every new sight and sound terribly interesting.
There were warnings, pleadings, cajoling, and annoyance.
Gone was the sense of wonder, newness, and excitement; in its place propriety ruled the day.

While waiting for an appointment, two little boys caught my eye.
Just as I noticed them, they noticed me.
The older brother was pretending to be a superhero.
He stopped in front of me to make sure I took notice.

In his mind, he wore a cape that he wrapped around him.
In his imagination, his shoes were lightning fast.
He pretended that his arm had the capability to do super human things.
He loved that he had an audience.

His little brother was playing with a balloon.
The string on the balloon intrigued him.
He tried to keep the balloon on his lap but the balloon would not cooperate.
Watching him learn about the world around him through a balloon was mesmerizing.

The older brother would run around in circles and stop in front of me.
He showed me his muscles and told me about his super strength.
He ran in circles and told me about his fast shoes that can run and run and never stop.
His mother looked at me and smiled; she has seen all this before.

I played along and entered into his world if only for a few minutes.
His childlike wonder was captivating.
Time seemed to stand still.
The small world we inhabited for that short time took us to galaxies without leaving the chair.

I know that his mother sees him play like this every day.
I hope she realizes how very blessed she is.
No store bought toy was anywhere nearby.
It was not needed.

A simple yellow balloon was enjoyed just as much, if not more, than the newest toy trend.
The small boys poured themselves into their play and nothing more was needed.
Every weapon used to fight the bad guys was at his disposal in his imagination.
A battle was fought and won without leaving the room.

All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.
(Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince)

I want to remember it.
I want to remember everything about it.
I want to hear the sounds more clearly and see the sights more vibrantly.
I want to fight the bad guys in the morning and fly to the moon at dusk.

I want to see the world through the eyes of a child.
I want to see the world with innocent eyes; eyes not jaded by life’s experiences.
It is possible.
All we grown-ups need to do is remember.

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. (Luke 1817)

God appreciates childlike wonder.
God holds up that wonder as an example of how we must enter the Kingdom of God.
We bring our adult selves to the table and think that is our credentials.
All of our accomplishments, awards, and success mean nothing if our heart is not childlike.

Grab hold of wonder.
Catch a child’s contagious laugh and belly laugh right along with him.
Enter into a child’s play and slay some dragons.
Lay down the toys of your choosing and pick up your imagination.

Become like a child.
Be captivated by the world around you.
See it for the wonder-filled world that it is.
Spend a portion of each day remembering the child you once were.

Cherish the memory.