I think the only people who really idealize children are those who've never had them and have successfully repressed all memory of middle school. I can't comprehend the Rousseauist cult of the child. Children are capable of the most casual acts of cruelty. If adults tormented each other the way children do, our murder rate would treble in a week. The ants around my childhood home still frighten their larvae with stories about my old magnifying glass.
But kids are cool. It's a cliche that to be a great writer one has to reawaken his childlike imagination. But it's so true. I watch my kids, and envy their ability to construct the most elaborate ideas out of nothing. The four of them sit up in bed each night telling each oher stories in the Otherworld. This is a world populated by Johnny Beans (Beings), Tennyson, Calvin and Reagan Beans. It's a world with three trillion blue whales. The scope of the place is unimaginable for an oldster like myself.
When I think of having 'the faith of a child', I've always thought in terms of the child's ability to believe with his whole heart. And I think that's part of it.
I think now that imagination plays into it as well. What if my view of God, of holiness, and of his role in my life was as expansive as the Otherworld? Imagine the possibilities.
Posted by Discoshaman at novembre 18, 2005 01:07 AM | TrackBack
Hi Disco,
Here's something you and I can agree upon! Children are great. Hard work but fabulous nonetheless. I love having children because it means you can escape to that great ‘other world’ full of fantasy and fun. I love it. It gives me an excuse to be silly, and dance, and sing, and spin around in circles under the stars. And that’s exactly what I did tonight with my littlest man.
In fact, I had a great child filled day. It began with year six who are a dream, progressed to year 8, who usually give me a very hard time but today responded well to encouragement, and ended up being a joy! I love it when children share their thoughts, dreams and loves with me. They are so creative. For example, today I signed a petition to liberate Santa’s Elves from the sweatshop conditions they are experiencing in Santa’s workshop. This petition was initiated by some middle school children who obviously have a passion for justice, and imagination. The Elf loving freedom fighters then decided to plan a documentary through which they could alert the world to their cause. Keep a look out for it. It will be brought to you by some talented youngsters soon. In addition, two young girls became interested in reading today after obstreperous resistance. 3 pages of a great novel and they were hooked.
If the day was filled with children, it was equally filled with birds. On driving my little man to school today we became witnesses to a little family of ducks attempting to cross a busy road in peak hour. Mother duck and ducklings wisely abandoned this plan after repeated failed attempts. In the afternoon an exquisite Indian Ring-necked Parakeet alighted in our yard. My children adored the beautiful colours of this magnificent creature for hours.
Finally, I spent the evening at the local sports field where my oldest son had training while my youngest and I chased beetles in the half light. I would not have experienced any of this today had it not been for children.
I liked this post a lot! Hearing dads talk about their kids is cool. And from what I've read from your wife, your boys are pretty interesting.
Posted by: Kim in ON at novembre 18, 2005 07:18 AMWhat a beautiful and fun picture your second paragraph paints! Children's imaginations are a wonderful gift from their Creator.
The variety of their stories is endless; each family's is different i.e. unique to that family. Enjoy it!
Posted by: FLGrandma at novembre 18, 2005 08:31 AMTHis relates to something rather different I've been thinking about this week--how television destroy imagination. In oral or written stories, the hearer or reader is forced to imagine what the story looks like and some of the detail which are left out. In film and tv the story is "complete", with nothing left to imagine. I often wonder how much we lose as film and tv people by having our imaginations left unexecised.
Posted by: Paul Baxter at novembre 18, 2005 08:36 AM