Child-Wisdom
“Grown
men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of children
are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many
things which older people miss.”
Black
Elk (The Sacred Pipe)
When
my own children were young, I was frequently astounded by their
questions and comments. I well remember receiving from them questions
I couldn't answer and answers I couldn't question. Now I enjoy going
on Facebook and looking at all the things my friends post about their
children and grandchildren and the wisdom of their questions.
Yesterday for instance, one little three year old boy had been told
'bless you' when he sneezed and his response was, 'Why are you always
blessing me? I am blessed all the time and I don't even know why.'
Isn't that the truth!
My
older son, Jake, at three, was a 'collector' of things, an arranger
of form, always seeing pattern and color. He would take his red
wagon, fill it with small black plant pots, and go around the
neighborhood collecting different things to put in each pot. At the
end of the day, he had a multi-colored, multi-textured, array of
rocks, acorns, leaves, flowers, seedpods and found objects that made
a complete picture of his day—then he told what and where and why
he had collected each potful. He was always an artist. He still is.
The
younger son, Ian, at three, was a story teller. His imaginary friend
KiKi went on great adventures—up into the clouds, for instance,
where he met a crab-woman who made cookies. He once asked me, “Where
was I when you were in college?” Telling him, 'you weren't born
yet' was not an acceptable answer. He knew for certain that he had
always been, and couldn't understand why I didn't. From very young,
he was a wheeler and dealer. He still is.
If
you are fortunate enough to be a parent or grandparent, keep a
journal of your child's wisdom. Record your interactions with them.
Ask their opinions and pay attention to their responses. Children see
the world differently, close-up and in detail. Sometimes their take
on things is spot-on and not cloaked in the sophisticated spin that
we're so accustomed to hearing from adults. Children speak truth
without malicious intent, and have a clear-eyed acceptance of things
as they are. We jaded elders can learn a great deal from them.
In
the spirit,
Jane
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