The Things We Learn From Children

My life has been a bit stressful lately. Money concerns. Bipolar disorder and depression. Some days it can be hard to get anything done with the walls of my problems closing in on me. Today was definitely one of those days, even though I tried to spend some good quality time at the park with my granddaughter.

Tonight it caught up with me. I sat with my face in the computer just surfing the web, hoping to find something to distract me from the chaos that is going on in my own life. My husband had the movie "Frozen" playing in the other room for my granddaughter to watch and he was with her so I didn't need to concern myself with what she was up to.

Still, somehow she sensed what was going on with me and kept coming in to check on how I was doing. This little imp of a person won't even be two until July. She can't talk much and she gets frustrated easily. Even with all those impediments, she could still sense that something was up with Mimi. She wanted to play. Sit in my lap. Read books.

Finally she pointed to the rocking chair next to my desk. When I asked if she wanted to rock she vigorously shook her head "yes". I sat down in the rocker and she climbed in my lap. 

As I sat with her back to my chest and rocked, I felt her spirit comforting me. I felt her love. Tears I could no longer hold in streamed down my face as I wept silently. She looked up at me briefly as if to say, "It's okay. I understand." I felt the tears release most of my anxiety of the past few days.

And in that moment I appreciated who she is in the world. Yes, she's a very cute little squirt, but I saw her as so much more. The soul that she is is so much bigger than her 20 months displays. It is brilliant. Strong. Powerful. Full of light and love and intelligence. 

It is so easy to connect to the heart--connect to the One--when you are a small child. Most days I believe they are so much closer to God than I am. My granddaughter easily sensed my need and did what she could to help me take care of it.

It is on days like this when I know we can learn a lot more from children than we, as adults, could possibly ever hope to teach them.

~CSE