Innocence Preserved

I had a sweet mom over the other day with her three precious daughters.
I had not seen them in a while.
It was so lovely to catch up with them.
The two older girls have spent time at my house, the younger one was too young to remember.

The oldest daughter is now 11 years old, which is hard for me to believe.
This mom home schools her three daughters.
They are part of a wonderful program that focuses on classical education.
I listened quite amazed at the things the girls are learning.

The two younger ones played in the family room while their mom and I talked.
The older daughter wanted to sit with us at the kitchen table.
I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about all the things she has been doing.
We always talk about books as I heard about the latest one she is reading.

I gave some book suggestions to the mom, which she put into her phone to refer to later.
I heard funny stories from the past school year.
I heard about projects and oral reports that were given.
I sat amazed as I witnessed the unfolding of a beautiful young woman before my eyes.

This young girl loves science.
This young girl also loves reading and writing.
She enjoys performing in plays, as well as writing and producing them.
Her latest play will be performed at an upcoming family vacation.

She chooses parts for her various cousins.
She mails the script to them ahead of time.
She expects her cousins to memorize their lines.
She told me that the play will be performed three days after she gets there so they can practice.

It was a story she told about one particular play that struck me.
This young girl was asked to perform in a production of Shakespeare’s, Merchant of Venice.
She was cast in the role of Jessica.
She has read the play a few times and considers it her favorite.

Her mom took out her phone and showed me a picture of her daughter in costume.
She wore a wonderful period costume that was made to look authentic.
The classical education program she attends has been producing plays for years.
They have accumulated quite a lot of costumes.

This young girl was very excited to have the role of Jessica.
A young boy was cast in the role of Lorenzo.
When you are 11 years old, acting alongside a boy is non-eventful.
That is unless the role expects the two characters to kiss.

Her mother and the mother of the boy were walking in the parking lot on a rehearsal day.
The mom heard her daughter call out to her from a distance.
We have to kiss! She said with disdain.
The mother did not even look at the mother of the boy as she tried to process all of this.

My mind was racing as I listened to the story.
They are only 11 years old.
I could not imagine the kissing scene would be expected.
I thought that they might amend it in some way considering the age of the performers.

I was trying so hard not to laugh as the young girl was telling the story.
I could see the look of disdain as she remembered the entire situation.
I could see her wrinkling her nose at the mere thought of having to kiss this boy.
I could not imagine how the story would eventually come to a conclusion.

I looked at the mom but she was letting her daughter tell the story.
I smiled thinking that in a few years the kissing scene might have been more welcome.
There was a long dramatic pause.
I could see that the young girl, who loves science and performing in plays, knew her audience.

We didn’t kiss, the young girl said relieved.
I mean he kissed my hand, she added.
He didn’t really kiss my hand; he put his thumb on top of my hand, she said seriously.
He actually kissed his own thumb, she said quite proud of the resolution.

I looked over at the mom.
It took every bit of self control not to laugh at that moment.
When the mom laughed, as she remembered all of this, the young girl laughed, too.
I was finally able to laugh the laugh that had been stifled the whole time.

I was struck with the innocence of the situation.
I was struck with the fact that innocence was preserved.
I was struck with the fact that the play was performed without compromising two young people.
I was struck with the ingenuity of the young boy.

Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. (Song of Songs 2:7, 3:5, 8:4)

God knows about the power of physical love.
God knows that passions stirred before their time ignite a fire.
Solomon, who wrote Song of Songs, repeats the refrain three times.
Our culture would say the refrain is antiquated.

The Song (of Songs) is about more than love and sex – it is about love and sex redeemed. The paradisaical imagery reminds us of the beginning, before the Fall, when human love was everything God intended it to be. (R. C. Sproul)

Imagine when human love was everything God intended it to be.
Even in the most wonderful marriage, we bring our sinful selves to the table.
The world does not show love redeemed.
The world shows love exploited.

That is why I am glad about the kiss on the hand that never actually happened.
That is why I was touched by the sensitivity of the young boy towards the young girl.
Innocence was preserved.
He put his thumb on top of her hand.

Arise My Love (Michael Card)

Arise, my love, my lovely one come,
Winter is past and the rains are gone.
The flowers appear, it’s the season of song,
My beautiful one, arise and come with me.
Who is it that appears like the dawn?
As fair as the moon, as bright as the sun?
Show me your face, let me hear your voice.
My beautiful one, arise and come with me.
Set me like a seal on your heart,
For love is unyielding as the grave.
The flash of it is a jealous fire,
No flood can quench,
For love is as strong as death.
Arise my love and come with me
Before the dawn breaks and the shadows flee.
You ravished my heart with just one glance
My beautiful one, arise and come with me.
Do not arose or awaken love
Until it so desires.
Arise, my love, my lovely one come,
The Winter is past and the rains are gone.
The flowers appear, it’s season of song,
My beautiful one, arise and come with me.
I am my love’s, my beloved is mine.
Arise and come with me.

 

2 responses to “Innocence Preserved”

1. Beautiful story Gina! Oh, to preserve innocence as long as it deserves itself:)
   And I love Michael Card’s song as well! Thank you for sharing!

   Carolyn

   Reply

   • Carolyn,
     It was a sweet story to hear. I could not stop thinking about how precious a child’s innocence really is. The world tries desperately to expose our children to things way before their time. We need to preserve their innocence for as long as possible.
     Gina

     Reply