By Following In the Footsteps of Children…

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We May Find Wonder

Behold the Boy

Behold the little boy on his own. He wanted to go ahead. He wanted it to do it on his own by himself, climbing the steps – a high flight of stairs compared to his size – without knowing what was above, until he summited the top.

And I let him go ahead, following with my camera, the photos, unplanned and spontaneous, always focused on what he did, me, protective and alert for danger and missteps, yes, the followed one always more interesting and alive and curious than me, a boy not all that far from everything in the mouth tasting, testing, figuring out what is edible, tasty or otherwise, a small boy moving beyond three, now not putting all in his mouth, but always exploring, experiencing, and watching and touching with curiosity everything before him and a little beyond, a very active child, but still years from telling his mom with confidence, “I got this.”

And I hurried, as much as I could, up the stairs after him – locating and holding on to a railing – and I was behind him a bit as he arrived at the top and continued speedily on his way, and I was about to raise my camera but then he suddenly stopped – surprised, looking up, beholding the largest space he had ever stepped into, that his eyes has ever beheld – cavernous, holiday decorated, lofty and high – and he stopped in awe, wonder stopping his steps and mind for a moment, and the sight – what he saw – continued to sink quietly deeply within him as his steps resumed, his eyes still upon the vault of blue above him, like the blue of the sky, and the heavens even further beyond – and I was there to see it – to behold him – in his stopping and further stepping, and to experience wonder and awe in him, in what he saw, and what I was able to share together with him as one.

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Greatness

One hears of greatness in the past, or an approximation of it, having been achieved by walking in the footsteps of great men, or standing on the shoulders of giants – a tribute in many cases to the scientific or math geniuses of the past. And one hears echoes of this expression even today within the exploding world of technology and AI.

But is there also value and innately deeper meanings and much greater human emotional, spiritual, and soul forming enrichments derived by following in the footsteps of children?  Something not measured as “greatness” but still perhaps greatly human, something more valuable and lasting than just historical acclaim?

The Bible presents the idea that we should always take note of and care and honor the “least” among us, and young children certainly are the least knowledgeable, the least accomplished in science, literature and math. And yet since scripture also states that children are a gift from God, are they only valuable gifts, do they only have true meaning and value, when they grow and take their place as workers and consumers, becoming part of the currently very limited vision of what is good in the ethos of our nation’s culture?

But, no, we do not believe the production and consumption of mere physical things is the highest we can hope for others, let alone for our own children. For along with science and math and technology, there is music – there will thankfully always be music – and there is art and literature and theatre and film and a multitude of other creative fields available to pursue – all manifestations of the God-given human spirit and soul.

Yet still the question remains as to the present value and worth of children in their early years, as they just begin to discover themselves and the world around them. Do we then value them? Are there moments, are there times, of intrinsic and exceptional beauty and vision for us, within the young, in the journey of their footsteps?

And is there something intrinsic about children that we should not just value, but should also celebrate and treasure them for?  What do they possess and provide that we ourselves would not have without them? Is there something we would not have by the absence of their presence? And, even more, is there also something we would not have if we did not nourish and cherish each individual child?

I suggest here that we would not have wonder and awe.   For like a desert without water, nothing truly human within us can ever grow or flourish or sustain the essence of our shared human spirit, except these two blessings. Wonder – the true appreciation and enthrallment of life in all its various forms and facets, and all that is good around us – a pure crystal-clear ever flowing stream of surprising life and joy. And awe – the overwhelming beholding of life pure and simple and beautiful and staggering, ever unfolding before us in the majesty, genius, and vastness of creation – of our oceans, in hearing the whispers and songs of nature all around, in beginning to comprehend the limitless expanse of the stars and constellations, the transcendence of life, and the eternal love of the God of creation.

It is this wonder and awe that we must encourage, protect, and work to ensure the opportunity for the discovery and growth of these essential attributes in the life of each child.  For life – a flourishing life – for the children within our nation, is at times elusive or denied, or deliberately attacked and minimized. And the life of each child should be to us as if every individual child’s life was our own life. For we need to do what we can to work to make our nation a nation which values each child equally. And we can always learn to raise our voice for good.  For at times, like those of the present, there is a pressing need to now lift our voices for good.

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Parting Thoughts

Holding the hand of a child teaches you many things; and listening to the child himself teaches you even more.

The footsteps of a child are not great in size nor experience, but more, they are the mystery of learning, discovery, and sometimes of awe or fear. We learn about ourselves and the child – a person before birth – through both applauding the awe and calming and guiding through the fears.

Regardless of our age, one thing we know is that even if we are there for the first steps of a child, we may not be there for the next. As adults, especially grandparents and beyond, this becomes more apparent, and more of a weighty heart issue, with each year we get “older”.  For each step of a child is precious, each step a miracle of life. And we must take the opportunities to learn with an open heart what can be learned from every step of a child, for, yes, it is an infinite universe of knowledge and wonder – and without it, our learning may be stunted, skewed, and broken – for nothing good ever comes from a lack of understanding, loving compassion, or joy.

Places of awe for a child may no longer be places of wonder for us as adults, perhaps due to a dry familiarity, such as a place we literally just traipse though every day. This, a familiarity, that only becomes “familiar” due to a lack of interest and life, when we no longer have openness of mind and spirit, but only now possessing a dullness of both, without joy and awareness of the present.  This is when “now” becomes absent from life, absent from our own steps of the day, a place – a plague – unknown to a child, unless imparted or imposed upon them without grace or care.

For when we follow the footsteps of a child, we must not overlay or overshadow any child with the barrenness of our own heart and soul.

For at times in following in the footsteps of a child, we may even relive, or reshape, or even heal where needed, from our own missteps as a child, for nothing is perfect in our broken world, and the hope we can garner from a child’s hand or arms, can regenerate hope and love within us, that can be returned with even greater grace to the child and others.

For it is said, and obviously true, that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. And every step we help a child with, adds a few more steps filled with grace and life to our own journey on earth – always a blessing of comfort and joy.

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Resource Section

Links to Specific Internal Subsections in Website

To view all posts in the From the Lips & Voices of Babes, the Young, those Older, Who Long to be Touched by Listening Ears & to Touch Others by Being Heard, please use the link below

From the Lips & Voices of Babes, the Young, those Older, Who Long to be Touched by Listening Ears & to Touch Others by Being Heard

To view all posts in the Moments of Seeing & Occasional Pieces, please use the link below.

Moments of Seeing & Occasional Pieces – Writing In The Shade Of Trees

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