The Angelic Nature of Children

I read a book this summer, which I enjoyed so thoroughly, I intentionally slowed my reading pace to make it last.  Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert is the story of a woman who takes a personal and spiritual journey, along with a very captivating geographical one.  She takes the reader along from Italy, to India and then to Indonesia.  The book is full of lively descriptions and stunning personal revelations.

The food, the scenery, and the self discovery, are all very engaging.  For me, the culture of the countries illustrated was the most compelling part.  When visiting Indonesia, (Bali, to be precise), Gilbert tells how the Balinese will not let a newborn's feet touch the ground until he or she has reached six months of age.  The reason is that in their culture, they view newborns as the purest human form of God.  And to let God's feet touch the dirt of earth while still so freshly arrived from heaven on the wings of the angels seems, well, too secular, I guess.

I myself remember looking at my children as infants, and feeling a similar feeling.  The perfection and purity of their tiny human forms; the love, beauty, trust and all-goodness encapsulated in their tiny bodies struck me as the signature of God.  And I remember my son's first haircut.  He had some soft little brown curls.  When I cut them at his first "official" haircut (complete with the obligatory certificate and souvenir clipping), I went home and cried.  I felt very sure that I had clipped his angel wings, and that he was now firmly planted on this earth for the long haul.  It was bittersweet.

Being part of RightTime KiDS is a gift to me.  I realize that sounds so trite, but I really mean it.  The children that come to play, leave their parents and walk into our centers with trust and the happy anticipation that they are going to have a good time playing with cool toys and fun new friends.  Their smiles, their entertaining stories, their preciously crafted masterpieces which they make to give to their parents...the divine is very much close and visible through these little humans.  The women and men who choose to work in this environment are able to appreciate these qualities in the children also, and often comment on the funny things that one might have said, ("my favorite lollipop flavor is the gray one"), or the sweet way that one child may have done something thoughtful for one of the others (2-year old Ava getting a book for herself, and a second one for 2-year old Andrew).  It's truly satisfying to be a part of this environment, and to know that we are serving these children and their parents, and growing into new communities to do more of the same.

Whether it's a newborn in Bali, a first grader in Raleigh or a 5th grader in Cary...if we pay attention, we might find ourselves inspired.