Whys

Last night during a sermon, I heard the phrase, "If only we could be old before we were young."

Think of the amount of wisdom we would have already acquired. Every once in awhile, I'll have the thought "what if I started life at the very beginning with the knowledge that I have gained up until this point?"

Imagine the perspective. I look back to as little as 3 years ago, and I am astounded at how much growing has taken place in that small time frame in my own life. You live and you learn. Different stages of your life teaches you different lessons, yet there is an overall gradual process of evident growth that takes place over time.

We start out as children, often with big faith and big curiosity. Tonight I was in a restaurant and overheard a little kid ask, "Why is there painting on the wall?"

The mother answered, "It's there for decoration."

"Why do they need decoration?"

Every answer is greeted with another question, and the one-word inquiry of "why" is a popular exploration. Children never tire of learning, as everything is a new discovery.

Yet as I now write about the innocence and preciousness of a child, I can't help but smile and know that this is the way it is supposed to be. If we went into childhood with all of the wisdom we have after a well-lived 80 years of life, what would become of our rich curiosity, active imaginations, and delightful questions? It's all part of the process. In fact, as we get older, we seem to lose that sense of wonder. It suddenly becomes unfashionable to be one of innocence. That genuine character that can spring only from the feet of a young kid is covered up and masked more and more by society. We would learn much to study a child. We all live in this world, yet younger babes that are more fresh and have not been drowned into the sea of societal pressures and image-building have a healthier glow, one that is authentic and real. One that has not yet been faded, covered, or masked by what face society tells us we must show. Children smile when they are joyful, cry when they are sad, and tell you the truth in no uncertain terms.

It seems as though there is a certain "wisdom" in our childhood that quite possibly comes full-circle by the time we are old. So my original statement of "if only we were older before we were younger" is an interesting thought and would certainly bring us an new perspective, yet I must conclude that in order to get there, we must first begin at the faith of a child.

Love you all!

T