You know, there is a lot we can learn from children. One the most valuable lessons I think that they can offer us is the lesson of unconditional and selfless love.
Not only are they absorbers of all types of love, but they also give it so freely.
We often spend a lot of our time with other people and one thing I have learned through my children is that there are no conditions on their love. You can be in a bad mood and have a bad attitude and their love is still the same. You can be dressed up or in your PJs, and they are just glad you are there to visit. You can be sick, healthy, happy, sad, and when you walk through the door, they are excited to see you!
Before a certain age of awareness they do not see anything but another person to love. Your history could be full of poor choices, pain, and regret. What a child sees is an opportunity to receive a hug and to say hello.
They don’t see the world through judging eyes, like we so often do.
They see it as an opportunity to love. How often do we look at the world, our neighbors, other situations, and see an opportunity to love? The reality is, we look at it as a way to judge, form opinions, and build ourselves up. What would our world, neighbors, and others’ lives look like if our main focus was to love–to love others in hard situations and help them through their times of need. This is a reality check I had this week as my kids get SO excited each time we go to a store and they get to give change to the salvation army. Every time without fail, all adults eyes are glued to the ground as if the man ringing the bell is the most disgusting man in the area. People chose to use others doors, pretend to be on the phone, and avoid eye contact at all costs. (I know this because I was once one of those people).
Make the time today to see the value of those around you through a child’s perspective, and see each moment as an opportunity to love.