Friday, November 3, 2017

Childish



The word childish has a negative connotation and it should not. What it means to me is as a child. Some may say that child-like is the more proper term. Child-like means to be like a child. I suppose the difference is minimal but think about it.

To be child-like you must work to be like a child. To be childish you simply are more like a child. So you may insert child-like but I mean childish.

Think of a baby tasting a new food or eating a favorite food. Do they act "cool"? No. Their eyes light up and their bodies wiggle. They roll it around in their mouths and smack their lips. They might put their hands in it and slap it to see what sort of sound it makes. Why they might even share it with other portions of their bodies like their hair. They are not shy about wanting more. Could life be better?

As a quick side note I made sure that all of my children came with a guarantee that they were washable. That way I could clean them easily after a fun meal. Make sure to order your children that way too.

Mud is a great thing for a little one. It squishes in hands. It oozes ever so lovingly between toes. They might get a tiny bit in the mouth before you can stop them. Do not worry. There is the washable guarantee. Besides they do not grow properly without eating just a touch of dirt. I still love to step into the mud and feel it between my toes. (Try it. You will like it.)

A two-year-old child is the perfect age. That sense of wonder is at its fullest. They are fully mobile and they can talk. Best of all they have learned that they are people. What they say and do matters.

These little people have often been referred to as being in "the terrible twos". They have learned to say, "NO!" They have opinions and expect people to listen.

A two-year-old has a completely uncensored imagination. They will tell you some great stories with very little encouragement. Ask them to tell you why the squirrel ran up the tree. With a few well-placed comments from you there might be a monster chasing them or a baby squirrel wanting its Mommy. All that limits them is attention span. They soon need to move on to another activity.

I love to walk with children. It is an adventure. They like to explore because everything is new and they want to see what it is. That is why they want to look under the neighbor's porch or peak into the sewer. Make sure they are safe but allow as much searching as possible. It would not hurt you to peek into that sewer either. There may be a treasure there. You will not know until you look.

Do you ever look at a leaf? I mean really look. Up close. Pay attention. Is it smooth or bumpy? Is it dark green or light green or has the color begun to change in the fall? What color is it exactly? Are the edges straight or striated? Has something been chewing on them? What was it? Is it on the tree or has it fallen off? Why? What do the veins of the leaf look like? Is it a pretty pattern?

See what I mean? We take so many things as normal that we forget the wonder of them. A child can find that wonder in its finger and examine it for a long time. That is childish and beautiful.

I want to experience my life with the glee that a child has. The glorious wonder and sense of awe that cannot be contained is a joy to watch in others. But to have that sense of wonder and awe is indescribable. And the best part is that all we have to do is open ourselves up and feel it.

11 comments:

  1. You are lucky that you have had the experience of bringing up children. I could never have them so I have no idea what it is like to be with a small child for any length of time. Because of that I am very impatient with children that are badly behaved, and especially when the parents ignore what they are doing. Keep well Diane

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    1. As I said in a previous post I was a strict parent. I expected my children to behave. At the same time I had fun experiencing life with my children. I am also impatient with children who do not know how to act. You do not have to be a parent for that.

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  2. I had a secret chuckle. When my children were packed in the car to come home, we left a load of dirt in grandma's bathtub (actually, I cleaned it up, but you get the gist). When the kids were packed up to come home from their other grandma's, they were as neat and unruffled as when they came in.

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    1. You may have cleaned it but I can tell you apprecciated the load of dirt left in the tub.

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  3. It does seem that "childish" has negative connotations that "child-like" does not. Regardless, children are a joy, and so was this post.

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  4. I am childish as always.
    And I am glad to have a newborn granddaughter. She is so cute. She will be my another Alice.

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    1. Congratulations. The more Alices we have the better the world will be. Alice helps keep us childish.

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  5. Seeing life through child-like eyes is a blessing. They often see things more clearly and without all the baggage that we grownups accumulate.

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  6. i admit i used word "childish " with good intention though just to praise the innocence of someone's personality ,after reading you i must be careful more about my english skills dear Emma!

    I enjoyed each bit you mentioned here and i still have such silly sounding "curiosity " within me which you can cal "childish "

    I am so glad to read you last two para specially that either i saw many many and many times leaf so carefully or profoundly ,i seemed to wander upon it's lines that looked like differ ways rising with one main path.
    you are amazing in your child like observations my dear!!!

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    1. I recognized the wonder in you when you speak of your views of the world. I see a pure and childish soul in you. It is a great compliment in my mind.

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