the secret

I think Grace holds the key to something marvelous. Right now she holds the secret and it's something I desperately want to learn.

You can't help but notice her joy. Everyone comments on it. We ran some errands this morning, and she drew a crowd at each establishment. Women and men alike were drawn to her big eyes and rosy cheeks, not to mention her voice, which at this moment in time, has one volume. She talks to everyone she sees, and is incredibly excited about everything. I can't tell you how many times a day I hear this: "Mama, Mama, come here, look at this!"

She has been singing "You are my sunshine" for several days now and inserts a name in place of 'sunshine' more often than not. For example: "You are my daddy, my only daddy, you make me HAPPY when skies are gray, You'll never know dear, how much I LOVE you, so please don't take my daddy away." It is enough to melt your heart.

This song is what drew the doting crowd as we waited for paint to be mixed at Home Depot. The paint guy was so taken with her that he forgot what he was doing. I often hear the comments: "Man, don't you wish everyone was that joyful?" or "Gosh, she just makes me want to be a kid again!"

I often times get annoyed at the excessive volume at which she speaks. I often tell her to be quiet, or talk softly, I get tired of constant noise... But why? I think that she has a lot to teach me.

She FEELS things; even little things. She broke down when her sticker flew off her shirt on the way to the car; She swelled up with pride when the small crowd of people clapped for her when she finished her rendition of "You are my Sunshine," and immediately started into another; when Harper is crying, she desperately wants to know what is wrong so she can fix it. Sometimes I take this as a nuisance, or just get frustrated because 'she is so DRAMATIC.' But maybe that's a good thing....?

She LOVES people with all her little 2 and a half year old heart can hold. She tends to notice what people CAN do, rather than what they CAN'T. She wants to be heard and known, and she feels the things she has to say are important. (and they are)

I commented to my dad this weekend about the fact that this child doesn't ever stop talking... and his response was this: "She's got so much going on in her head, she just can't keep it all in." That's true, she is truly bubbling over with emotion (and words), all the time.

Why have we tried to dumb this down? Why, as adults do we tend to hold things in, so as not to 'burden' people with our problems, or 'bother' them with our thoughts. That self-consciousness that creeps in (probably around Jr. High or maybe before) just seems to rob us of life. Are we truly living life to the fullest like this? How can we become more like little children?

I am not saying that kids are born without sin, and that everything they do is wonderful, but they hold a secret that I am desperate to remember. I am going to take more time to watch and learn from Grace. Sure, she has her issues... but don't we all? I want to help her hold onto this little piece of heaven that she has, and uncover for myself the secret that she holds.

Jesus tells us that unless we "become as little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3 New Living Translation)

(Mark 10:14-16 NLT) "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God. Then He took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them."