It’s hard to admit.
But, I’m a bit of a stick in the mud.
I’ve never been the life of the party. Or the first person you’d want to take on a grand adventure.
It’s not that I don’t like fun. I just seem to be hard-wired to lean more towards the “all work and no play” side of life.
Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to the wonder and delight of early childhood. The childlike heart I see time and again reflected in the eyes of my children is incredibly precious.
The joy they feel over the simplest of experiences. The excitement they show about the smallest events.
It’s a priceless phase. One they grow out of all too quickly.
And the thing is…once it’s gone, they never quite get it back again. The older we get, the harder it becomes to recapture those simple pleasures of a childlike heart.
But that’s one of the many amazing things about being a parent. We get the opportunity to experience those moments again through our children.
The chance to revel in simplicity. To view life as the great adventure that it really is. To embrace even the smallest of miracles. And to enjoy everything just a little bit more.
Our kids are teaching us every day how to live with a childlike heart. We only have to pay attention.
The perfect rainy day…
I was reminded of all these things not too long ago on a cold, wet day. My girls had been asking for months to play in the rain. Every time the sky opened, they were begging to run outside.
But the timing was never right. It was too cold. Or we were all dressed up getting ready to leave. We were pressed for time. Or there was lightning.
But none of that applied on this particular day. Nowhere to go. An open schedule. Old clothes already on. And the perfect downpour with no thunderstorm in sight.
I couldn’t say no.
They exploded out the door with an energy I don’t possess on my best day after several cups of coffee. And the delight they felt was evident from their exuberant yells to their enormous grins.
Joy in the moment…
As I stood on the porch watching their fun, I realized I was a bit envious.
Not because they were soaking wet and loving it. Not one single part of me wanted to go running out in the rain with all my clothes on!
After all, it was probably cold. I didn’t want to change later. And I had no desire to clean up puddles of water from my entry way floor.
Yet those were all adult problems. None of that mattered to my kids.
So, I didn’t voice any of my complaints But it wouldn’t have mattered if I did. My two little girls were not about to let a grown-up-stick-in-the-mud rain on their parade. (Pun intended!)
And that was the source of my envy. I found myself inwardly wishing for that kind of childlike heart.
Read about another valuable lesson I learned from my kids in “Keeping a Positive Perspective.”
One that thought changing clothes was worth the effort. One that didn’t let a potential future mess steal guaranteed present fun. One only concerned with enjoying the moment.
As my daughters ran up and down the sidewalk teeth chattering and eyes shining, I tried to remember what is was like to experience life that way.
Pure and true joy over the simplest of moments. No worries. No cares. And no distractions.
As much as I wished I could bottle their perspective and take a good dose of it every morning, I knew my days of living life that way were far behind me.
My “adultness” might have kept me from returning to that state of mind. But I was immensely grateful for my little ones who kept it ever-present in view.
A childlike heart…
Obviously, we can’t all go around acting like little kids! But being an adult shouldn’t disqualify us from still learning from children.
The innocence, purity, and joy of a childlike heart are qualities we could all use a little more of. Especially in this stress-filled, anxiety-ridden, over-scheduled world we often find ourselves.
The ability to be truly present in the moment is a lost art. To be without distraction and fully enjoy life unfolding right in front of you is almost unheard of.
Putting down the phone. Ignoring the temptation to multi-task. Turning off the noise.
Learning to just “be.” I’m convinced there’s few things that bring more peace. And few do it better than a young child.
Yet while little ones may have it down to a science, it’s so very elusive for most of us in today’s culture.
I’ll be the first to admit. It’s definitely not something I’m good at. I live far away from my childlike heart.
My to-do list often rules my schedule. I push aside the valuable for the urgent. Make complex what could be simple.
And hurry through life far too often than I should.
Find more encouragement to live every moment in “The Beauty of a Slow-Paced Life.”
Maybe it could be different…
But what if I didn’t?
What if I took a page out of my daughters’ playbook?
Lived in the moment more and worried about the future less. Learned to enjoy the simple things in life instead of overlooking them.
Or missing them altogether.
What if our childlike hearts don’t have to disappear with our childhood? Or get buried underneath the burdens and cares of this world.
What if a little piece of them could hang around to remind us that even on our worst days, the world is still a beautiful place?
To prove there is still joy to be found.
Often in the simplest of places.
Call me a romantic. Or unrealistic.
But I think it’s possible. At least I hope so.
Because a childlike heart may just be one of the most precious treasures this life has to offer.
And it only took two little girls dancing in the rain to remind me of why I should recapture it.
At least every once in a while.
Do you have a favorite parenting moment when you saw the world through the eyes of a childlike heart? Please share in the comments below!
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