Before I get bogged down with the responsibilities of life, I wanted to write about something that has been on my mind for several weeks now. It is about childhood, what comes along with it, and a reminder of those things. Recently a sibling reminded me about our childhood, and today an exercise told me to think back to when I was ten. Probably the last time I was pure and innocent. Probably around the time I started noticing we begin to judge each other, make fun of each other, and begin to become truly afraid of things. Lately, I have been hunting for that ten-year old, to bring her back into my life. She needs to remind me to be less afraid, more pure of heart and innocent, and integral in my decision-making.
As I write, my husband even brings up his childhood. His was a very difficult one and so I ask him “even though your childhood was difficult, are there still things you are grateful for”? His answer yes. My first thought as well as I tell him about something my sister brought up. She reminded me of the times my mother would put bricks in the oven and get them good and hot. Then she would take them out, one by one, wrap them in linen towels, and hand one to each one of us for putting under the covers at the foot of our beds. Yes we would wake up in the middle of the night after kicking a cold, hard brick. But, as I think back to those days, I think of the things I took away from being handed a hot brick. I learned the practicality of using a hot brick for warmth if the need ever arose again in the future. As important, I learned the meaning of gratitude. Gratitude for a mother who used old school ways to make sure her children were warm at night, gratitude in the realization that I do not think I have ever slept in a cold bed since, and gratitude that I get to remember not only with my siblings, but with others out here who have experienced similar things.
On a spiritual level I recognize that people of all faiths teach that we are children of our creators. If we stop to think about it, as I said earlier, children are pure of heart and innocent. Maybe we are supposed to retain these qualities in adulthood, or maybe we are simply supposed to interject them into our daily lives, or as often as we can or are reminded to do so. Maybe we have children and grandchildren because they continue to bring us back to those moments of our own pureness and innocence. I am not sure, although I do believe that it is something for us to think about.
I am also reminded of how many times I have said to people in the last ten years, that I may be growing old and have responsibilities, but I will never ever stop being a kid. So it is in that spirit that I suggest another project for us all. Try to remember something you loved to do as a child and do it. For me it was coloring and I must have known this day was coming because I did pack my 64 Crayolas and coloring books when I moved away from home. Now to hunt for them, take them out, take a little me-child time, and color my world. For those of you that have kids or grand kids, don’t just hand them the clay or finger paints, sit down and partake with them. They will get so much more out of it and so won’t you. You may even create a masterpiece.
With that said, if any of you want to show or tell us what you have created, by all means, please share it. You may be surprised with what the child in each one of us can create when we bring them back.