Returning to Innocence
There’s a natural endearing innocence to children. Their curiosity is breathtakingly admirable. We forget the wonders of an innocent young mind. There is a mesmerizing quality to their thoughts and imagination. If we could just hold on to that simplicity for the rest of our adult life! How extraordinary the journey would be if we just remained child-like.Last night we rented a sweet movie called “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.” The main character played by Ewan McGregor, is like a small child or one with autism. His lack of social skills makes him even more innocent. Sitting through the story I thought about how many times I wish I could just see the world for what it is. In the movie, the hope and faith of bringing salmon to Yemen from Britain makes one want to go fishing. Simplicity is so easy but we automatically complicate it. My mind doesn’t allow for such black and white thoughts. I tend to go beyond and start to analyze, even when I don’t try to.Throughout the years, I have watched and witnessed my own children play, laugh, and create wonders from their imaginations. I have always allowed creativity to be a huge part of their lives. I encourage them to see the world in more dimensions than the visible one we are accustomed to live in. In the past few years I have tried to dismiss the rigid structure and ideas I had about my own life. It is always easier to preach and tell others to live a certain way, but hypocritical not to follow through in our own lives.
My son, Nelson, took the picture of this little boy on the Greyhound Bus from Miami to Orlando recently. He knows how much I love pictures of little kids. I have it on my phone and each time I look at it I am taken to a place of wonder and joy. What can he be thinking? How is he seeing the world outside of that window? Where is his imagination traveling to while he sits on that ride?So today, after a much busy week, I choose to sit for a little while and marvel at life. I want to be that little boy staring out the window, witnessing the magic of the world. I will kick back and stare out the window of my home, while a wedding is taking place in our retreat center. I choose to laugh and probably cry, as I do in all weddings. My children have been gone for a week and this house is quiet. In their absence I will return to my innocence through play and silliness. I will put my IPOD on dance shuffle and pretend I am a kid again with my round brush as a microphone, standing in front of an invisible audience and belt out to Donna Summer’s Last Dance. After all, being a kid is the best part of growing old. My body is ready for some fun.Give yourself the privilege of returning to your innocence. Play like you mean it. Dance like if no one was watching. And, sing to your favorite tune! Life can’t get any sweeter than this….