Children Build Character In Adults

If I were somehow able to speak to my child-self today,

I would likely learn very much about life - about the joys of life,

the simple things, and what really matters.

Children are a blessing, and when my Holy Father

blesses me with a child or two or three of my own, I know the next

chapter in my life will have many lessons for me to experience...

Lessons that would serve me character-wise and serve my children

as I aim to mold their characters and all children whom the Lord

places in my path... to His glory as I reflect His light in my life.

I ran into an elderly friend this morning on the bus.

She's a bit hard of hearing, but I speak loud enough and in a way to hopefully convey my messages.

She had some work published many years ago, and I forgot where or what it was about... so we've discussed writing and publishing and reading.

Today, I was not sure if she recognized me from times before... she's likely well into her 80's.

She reminds me of my paternal grandmother.

Although elderly, my grandmother and his woman are still so full of life and quick-witted.

She also dresses similar to my grandmother.

Not flashy but very reserved in a not-trying-to-impress-anyone kind of way.

She made her way to the back of the bus where I prefer sitting, where an open window can assist airing out certain pungent tones emanating from some bus riders.

We somehow got to talking about the changing of the mind's patterns.

She asked me if I work on changing my thinking and if so, since what age.

I said absolutely.

After reading The Road Less Traveled at age 16.

I told her it was a life-changing experience reading that book.

Yet it was ten years later at age 26 when I found it again in a book store, and when reading it again did I realize how influential that book's message was for me.

That second reading was when I contrasted the past with the current and how much of its teaching I had actually adopted and utilized.

At age 16, the book's content was at times well over my head... yet some of it was planted in me.

Having lived those ten years between 16 and 26, and having gone through certain challenges during that time, that book's message meant even more to me.

I again picked it up during my late 30's... and again was fed profoundly.

Its truth being more relevant and real to me than as before.

It was my maturity that had to catch up to the maturity being expressed therein.

I then mentioned to her how I had visited with a neighbor recently.

This neighbor has a young child, and my neighbor had a friend of their's also visiting with her young child.

When my neighbor seemingly asked me about my day and what I was up to, I couldn't help but be enamored by the presence of these little children.

I'm not sure what exactly it is, or what happens to me, but something comes over me when I am around children.

I become very aware of my words, my thought patterns, my every move with them.

Perhaps it is the many years I have reflected upon my upbringing and how even the smallest thing that certain adults said impacted me.

Children are very impressive and easily impressed... so I consider it a great responsibility how one speaks to and is an example before a child.

It is not a matter  about whether an adult desires to be an example for a child or not.

An adult is an example to a child as a fact of life.

A child will witness the manners and words of any given adult.

I am easily swayed by children, desiring to make them happy and meet their demands.

I can be a pushover.

I also know there is a balance where discipline comes into play and a child cannot simply have their way all the time, or their desires cannot be absolutely placated to - otherwise a spoiled child may be a tiny tyrant in the making.

So I was quickly taken in by them and began to play with them.

It didn't matter that I was tired and had recently showered after a long day walking several miles in the summer sun.

One thing I have learned is that a child's mind needs to be engaged, and in doing so their excitable energy can be directed from the rest of their bodies to their growing minds.

The attention can be directed into thinking... and less into default emotions bouncing off their little energized bodies and whatever comes about at any given time.

In short: the child's mind is constantly expanding and absorbing new information... and I think it is the job of a parent / guardian / me as a talkative and introspective neighbor, to feed their minds properly and in full propriety as best I know how.

Similar to how I had learned to direct a conversation when speaking to my elderly grandmothers whose memories had become forgetful, so also can a child's mind be directed to think positively, to think hopefully, to think compassionately, to think kindly, about all things and any situation.

Especially when an emotion comes about from an accident or a mistake they did or done to them, it is vital to ween the young mind in teaching them how best to work through any difficulty.

Any adult who has pondered their past, or even their current character challenges can likely resonate with what I'm talking about.

I am assuming most adults likely consider their thoughts, words, and actions whether in a professional atmosphere or in every day life as I do.

As the bus came to the end of the line, my elderly friend mentioned how she noticed a child recently look at her quite strangely and then expressed a bright smile with happy glaring eyes.

She considered it was her funny looking knitted color-filled hat.

I thought that was surely possible.

What I mentioned was that children often reflect God the most.

Children are innocent, purely- and simple-minded because they have yet to know and reflect the world as an adult has come to know the world.

I added that some adults into older age also often reflect God.

This because some adults have learned how to maneuver through this world's challenges and have learned to make good choices and avoid the bad (having learned through experience).

I was messaging to my dear friend, without being too direct, that it was perhaps the light within that child that was resonating with the light within her.

I do know she was a bit speechless in pondering what I had expressed... and with that I bid her a good-day.

Much how the book I mentioned was inspired by things from Above as confessed by its author, and fed me every time I ate from that man's words, consider the following as food for thought (for it is):

Then people brought little children to Yeshua for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 

Yeshua said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there. 

- Matthew 19: 13-15 

He called a little child to Him, and placed the child among them. And He said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” 

- Matthew 18: 2-3