Through the eyes of a child

I recently attended a memorial for a friend. What was so moving about the remembrances that his family shared was his ability to see the world with childlike wonder even though he was in his late 70s when he made his transition. His children and grandchildren talked about how he would explain the beauty of a forest or wherever their travels would take them. His sons recalled the stories he would tell of the red slippers that magically transported them anywhere in the world. Even though his sons were in their 40s and 50s, it was as if they were talking about today. I could see their faces light up as they shared their memories of their father and his perspective of the world around him. Many of us forget to take time to view the world as we did as a child. It was a time when all was new and pure. As I listened to the stories at the memorial, I recalled my own childhood memories and the ones that I remember today based on seeing the world through childlike eyes. Like my friend who passed, these memories are usually grounded in my connection to nature. There is a sense of awe in seeing a waterfall with rainbow-creating mists or glaciers bathed in the pink and crimson light of sunset in Antarctica. All that matters is that you be willing to see the world in such a way. I find that it energizes my spirit and fills me with gratitude for the beauty that I am shown. What was the last experience you had in seeing the world through the eyes of a child?