Many things we need can wait. The child cannot. Now is the time his bones are being formed; his blood is being made;his mind is being developed. To him we cannot say tomorrow. His name is today. Gabriela Mistral
One of the most surprising things I learned about myself when I became a mother, is how much I love children. Not just my own, but other people’s children. I find great comfort in my daughter’s friends, in my friends’ children and in the child that asks “Mrs. B, if my Dad doesn’t show up can I go with you?”. I love a car full of kids, yelling “She touched me, make her stop!” or “He won’t let me play his Gameboy, it’s my turn!!”. Many adults will get frustrated and annoyed by such clamor. I feel blessed.
In 1996 Hilary Clinton wrote the book “It Takes a Village…And Other Lessons Children Teach Us”. The opening paragraph of this book states “Children are not rugged individualists. They depend on the adults they know and on thousands more who make decisions every day that affect their well-being.” The premise of the book being that, it takes a village to raise a child. Every day I encounter children that are not mine, that I don’t know, that need me to one of those thousands. Oh, if they only realized how much I need them.
They are God’s gift to me. When I bring my daughter to soccer games, I don’t have time to complain about being the snack mom for the zillionth time in a row…I am too busy enjoying, watching children play and getting plenty of fresh air and exercise. When I take my daughter to the movies with her friends and they want, soda, popcorn AND candy…I don’t have time to complain aobut the cost…I am so happy that they can all be together and act like the kids they are. When we go to the pool in town, I don’t have time to complain about the hot sun…I am too busy watching children teach each other to dive, to swim, to play Marco Polo. God has placed many children in my life because He knew.
He knew I needed to have a childhood. He knew I needed to see and experience what running free in the park is all about, what sharing an ice cream cone with a best friend is like. How laughing at nonsensical stuff is not stupid. It is a magical moment.
In the busyness of your week, stop and look and listen. Breathe in the essence of your village. It is the ordinary pleasures that make an extraordinary day.
Embrace what God has given you and don’t say tomorrow… for the child only understand today.
This post was previously posted on July 1, 2006 on my blog The Whippoorwill Chronicles.
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3 Comments
I thought I spent a lot of time savoring my children’s childhoods, as well as my own outside of the home. But nothing…NOTHING…has taught me how fast and fleeting the time of childhood is like caring for my grandboys on a daily basis. To have the blessing of rediscovering life thru THEIR eyes in my middle age has been one of the greatest, sweetest gifts God has ever bestowed upon me.
I know, Danielle, I have been very lax in my commenting here and all over the place for a long time but I do follow your blog via my reader on a daily basis.
I’m so glad you posted this -about the premise of Ms. Clinton’s book -because I totally endorse her theory there. I know quite well, from first hand experience, because that is how I grew up -with all the neighbors around me being like surrogate parents, watching out for my well-being when out of my Mom’s -and my Grandparent’s -sight! It also provided me, in a manner of speaking, with the siblings I never had too but always so very much wanted when I was growing up.
Great post and I hope others read it and realize the true value of that theory because it does take a village, for sure!
Lovely piece. I, too, found I loved children once my son was born–20 years ago. It was wonderful to have a house full of boys for so many years. Now, I’ve met some little kids in the neighborhood who are delightful, and it feels good to have kids around again.