morethanenoughtruth

Jesus said: “Verily I say unto you. Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  What does that mean?  What is it at core that sets the mind of a child apart from our own?  Children are first of all vulnerable.  They are open to any skullduggery, and are helpless to affect any change.  They perceive their position in the universe as children of parent gods.  Here they are, due to absolutely no fault of their own. 

Beginning at this rock bottom disadvantage, they must climb up and away.  The humility of lying turtle-like on backs awaiting milk and dry diapers suggests the beatific.  But even a child can’t maintain that posture for long.  In the benevolent order of things, diapers are no longer needed, and sleeping through the night is a lovely achievement.  Healthy child narcissism struggles with innate helplessness to presage the future adult.  Somewhere in there a turning point lurks.  An intact adult ego is hopefully the result.

Depending on upbringing, children are likely to be optimistic.  With most of life’s abuse still ahead of them, they have little memory of evil.  They expect more of the good stuff.  Our entire culture conspires to create the idea of lovely things coming down sooty chimneys to fill hopefully hung stockings.  Christmas was made for children. 

The Buddha made much of beginner’s mind.  A clean slate is universally revered.  A mind that is overrun with pre-conceptions is not likely to see the new with any clarity.  Everybody knows that a clean white sheet of paper speaks to the soul.  All hearts leap up when thoughts of September school supplies cross the mind.  A shiny new pencil, a pristine yet-to-be-opened pack of notebook paper, or a brand new book engenders an inner happiness recognized by any and all.  A child’s mind awaits incipient amazements yet a-birth.  It visions possibility in even the stub of a crayon.

Children are unlikely to have caused harm, and for a while at least, are happily guilt free.  The adults in their lives quickly disabuse them of that mindset, minions of guilt hanging from every tree and shrub.  Soon even the most gentle and pious of children learn to shoulder their load of self-retribution and inner loathing.

Children tend toward honesty.  This doesn’t mean they will starve before they steal an apple; it means they are willing to own their own hunger.  Like any home-grown Texan, they tell it like it is.  They start with a nascent veracity and proceed.  What is more honest than the first cry of a newborn?  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Vulnerable, humble, optimistic, guileless, honest.  It’s easy to see why Jesus admired kids.  He also spoke to the possibility of conversion—change for the better.  Real friends help you be a better person.  If they fail that basic test, dump them.  Aging with its incipient second childhood may be a blessing in disguise.  Now as I enjoy “A Place for Mom” due to my son Lane’s contriving to organize my progeny into a mom assistance pact, I am reminded of Lane as a small boy, on a family road trip through the Nevada desert.  We stopped for gas and a round of pop.  Of course we each dropped a quarter into the convenient one-armed-bandit.  When Lane plunked his in, he hit the jackpot.  Then we had to wait while he gathered his loot and spent it, every penny of it, on presents for everybody else.  It’s delightful to see the goodness of childhood carry over into a staunch, generous, and beautiful manhood.