Child

 July 8, 2020

Child

“The soul is healed by being with children.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky

 

 

Oh my. I know that there are a number of new parents or parents with numerous children under the age of 5 who would like to clip this quote into a million pieces with scissors.

 

Remember those days when you were so tired you couldn’t imagine another day of parenting? How about the 2 am feedings that disturbed a slumber you felt was the best you had had the past 4 months? There are times, actually moments, that the above quote would have sounded like the ravings of a mad=person.

 

But c’mon now. I know there some people who receive little joy being with kids, but, with perspective and some distance, returning to the presence of children can soften our hearts, give us a smile that lasts all day, and brings us sigh of sweet remembrance.

 

Now, about the soul. Jesus said, ‘“Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” Dostoevsky would have known the Jesus quote as well. So I understanding where he was going with this.

 

What is the soul? It’s that part of the human that embodies and expresses altruistic values. The presence of children, even if they are loud or annoying, is a time when I know most people adjust expectations, slow their pace, and begin to think more whimsically. A child’s presence invites a person to be more like the child. I think it creates a adult playground for even a moment where we can all leave behind the weight of our worries.

 

So, may a child’s presence slow you down and bring whimsy close to your lips and heart, and in doing so may your soul find room to grow.

 

Rev. Ken