Take a good look at the photo above this post and try not to shed a tear. At some point or another, we have all experienced the pure, humble, honest love of children. The fact that my tiny girl took the time to gather these little purple flowers to share with me still warms my heart. She knew my favorite color was purple so she even took the time to find purple construction paper on which to write the sweet note. I’m not sure if her older sister helped her with the spelling, but I’m pretty impressed with that as well!
The Love of Children
Children have a way of doing little things for us that we take for granted. Really, there is a lot we can learn from them. I remember once mowing the yard (a favorite pastime of mine.) It was one of those hot, humid, hazy southern summer days. Out my back door walked a little girl holding a cold glass of water up for me. I suddenly remembered doing the same thing for my father. We had a fair amount of land so he used a riding mower. He covered a lot of ground fairly quickly. I remember carrying a glass of water way across the field to him. I’m sure it was sloshing all over. It’s a wonder any was left by the time I reached him. I was so happy to help my daddy the best way I knew how.
A Song With Good Intentions
When I was five or six years old, I recall my grandmother preparing a song for the children’s church to sing for the morning service. I can’t remember all the words, but it went something like…”Mother, dear mother, I love you, every day, every way I’ll be faithful true. I’ll never cause you sorrow, nor cause you anxious fear. And someday you’ll be proud of me, mother dear.” I recall practicing this tune as a solo act for my mom at home. She said, “Very good. But I’m already proud of you!” I had no idea what that meant as a child. Now, I know exactly what my mother meant.
Remember the Little Things and People
Let’s make it a point to appreciate our younger friends and family. Give them a hug. Share a story. Show them they are special and loved. It is easy to push them aside in the name of being an adult, doing adult things. Children are a blessing and a gift. Trust me, you blink your eyes and they are no longer children. The same precious little person who left the tiny purple flowers will be finishing school in the next two years. She is almost an adult with the same beautiful heart. Let us learn to love like children. Let us learn to love children. Grown-ups have a lot to learn. The largest lessons come in small packages.
~ Lora Lea
