I AM THE CHILD

I am the child
All the world waits for my coming,
All the earth watches with interest to see what I shall become.
Civilization hangs in the balance,
For what I am, the world of tomorrow will be.
I am the child,
I have come into your world,
About which I know nothing,
Why I came I know not;
How I came I know not;
I am curious;
I am interested.
You hold in your hand my destiny,
You determine, largely, whether I shall succeed or fail.
Give me, I pray you,
Those things that make for happiness.
Train me, I beg you,
That I may be a blessing to the world.
~~ Author Unknown ~~

Children were questioned about their understanding of marriage. One question was, “What do you think your mom and dad have in common?” One child responded, “Both don’t want any more kids!”

That is true for many, and we can understand why…However, the fact of the matter is that each child represents a treasure to be cherished, a trust to be protected.  You may be a parent, a parent-to-be, an aunt or uncle, a sister or brother, a grandparent. You may even be a teacher or teacher’s assistant. If you are ANY of these, responsible for the well being of children, may God bless you and give you the patience you need to care for them. And may you daily be struck, as I am, by the wonder of those little creatures that only God could have made. Their beauty, their innocence, their sense of wonder, their absolute dependence on you. Each one ultimately is a sacred gift, a sacred life entrusted by God to your care.

I’d like to tell you a little bit about my grandson, who is a special needs child. He is like many children, but actually way better than most. (You knew that was coming) He is sweet, kind, sincere, gentle, tenderhearted, fiercely loving. He is bright, quick-witted, mathematically and technologically gifted. He can (this is a fact) look at the cloud formation with those perfect sky blue eyes and accurately predict tomorrow’s weather.

Also, I think he might grow up to be a Cat Whisperer, because he has unusual chemistry with all the family cats. He is beautiful. Not just a handsome little guy, but beautiful, inside and out. He is a treasure.

When he was little, he would tell us he loved us by saying, “You are my heart.” What a perfect expression of love! He has been blessed with a loving Christian home and two exceptional parents. He also has a large extended family who couldn’t love him more.  He has a beautiful little sister who adores him, and vice versa.

My grandson, however~ in spite of all these blessings in his life~ often faces exceptional challenges. He has many ~ anything from loud noise to an impatient teacher.  Unkind children and/or adults, or any uncaring individuals can hurt him intentionally or unintentionally. He needs a little extra consideration, a little extra support. He needs your smile, your pat on the back, maybe an extra “good job, buddy.” And there are many others like him. For him, and for so many, there are often painful moments when life overwhelms and he is hurt. And oh, how our hearts ache!

If you have children in your life, please know that you hold their vulnerable little spirits in your hands. You can choose to share kindness, or you can crush a child’s spirit by your attitude.  Every life is sacred, and every child is a gift~a gift you can cherish or destroy. What you say and do on a daily basis will never be forgotten by a child. Your words will echo in their heads throughout their lives.

So I ask you, please be mindful of each child’s tender and vulnerable spirit. Be generous with love, laughter, and kindness! Do whatever it takes to make certain that each child feels supported and encouraged! Each child is a sacred trust, a gift from above, unique and precious. Each child deserves all the happiness and success possible~all day, every day!