In spite of eating the best Indian food I've ever had, installing ethernet cabling for my brother-in-law, and listening to the beautiful music of a pipe organ (which is easily one of my favorite sounds in existence), it seems I have surprisingly little to write home about this week. Even at work, I've had some great up's and some of my worst luck in terms of downs, but I've learned to take it as I go. If nothing else, I should highly brag about the fact that my amazing wife ran a 5K this weekend. I was super proud of her!
But all said and done, I feel like I have not much to say... But, then again, perhaps I do have one thought. While it has little to do with anything, there is one thought I had, and that's that thinking like an adult is highly overrated. It seemed to become a little more clear to me today that there is a difference in thinking like an adult, and processing emotions like an adult. It doesn't take a genius to see a child and know instantly that they have a very simple mind- I suppose it comes of often having much less in the way of responsibility than most adults. For that reason, a child may not always be the fastest one to come to a pragmatic or practical conclusion, but there's no denying they often come up with the most creative ones. As a child, there is still so much you haven't yet learned, and therefore (ironically), the answers to many questions are far more extensive, with almost endless possibilities.
I say this all, and yet I neglect to talk about how important it is to process emotions like an adult. While a child has a mind of creativity unrivaled, the way they process their emotions and react is obviously quite a work in progress. It's for that reason we tell kids to "grow up", and be more mature. But I think it's no mere accident that our minds were created this way.
If you've ready my blogs much at all, by now, you have probably gathered I am something of a "Christian" in terms of my faith... and when I say that, I don't want to deter anyone away from their continued reading of this or any further passages. You have very special beliefs, as do I, and mine are no more important to me than yours are to you. I have no intention of using this blog as a soap box to convert people to any specific religion. With that being said, I feel it very significant that in the New Testament, Christ is very adamant and firm that children are exceptionally important to him, and that they should be to us, as well. He says this not in one context, but many. "Forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God." "Unless a man be born again, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God."
I won't dive much further into the religious wing of that, but I believe that when we embrace our inner child (not to be confused with childishness), we learn to connect more naturally with both ourselves and everyone else around us. I'm not saying all the world's issues would be suddenly solved... but think about how forgiving and quick to forget evil a child is. Wouldn't it be so awesome if we could all peel away the thick layers we've created on ourselves and learn to love more freely? I know that I, at least, have drifted a good ways away from that. I hope I can come back a little more closely to it.
So, think about how you can be "born again" this week. And don't let that phrasing scare you. It is no big act that you must undertake- only find little adjustments in your life- occasional turns to the right direction on the course you follow back to your inner true self. I know all of what I write here probably sounds like "big talk" to some (and perhaps it is). But I felt that, if nothing else, it's a nice reminder to myself that while it's important to become more mature in my feelings, I must never stray too far from the simple and open mind of the child I used to be.
Happy May Day, everyone, and enjoy the coming week!