Like a Child

By Deborah L. Kaufman

The start of a new school year always brings a return to routine at my house. It's the same routine practiced all across the country: roust the children out of bed, make sure everyone has eaten, check to see that the five-year-old has her shoes on, see that hair and teeth are brushed, distribute lunches or lunch money, grab the book bags, and race for the door. Little thought is required for routine. As a mom, I just get in the zone and get it all done. The mental clock is usually ticking the whole time.

One recent morning proved an exception. "The trees are dancing!" exclaimed the five-year-old as we pulled out of the driveway. Her conversation about dancing trees and their choreography went on for about two minutes before I finally came out of my "accomplish the routine" mindset and noticed the amount of wind that day.

Oh! The trees were dancing! I was so busy with my routine that I failed to notice the world around me. Once I started paying attention to the movement of the leaves and the beauty of the trees "dancing," it changed my whole mindset.

Experiencing life through the eyes of a five-year-old brought beauty and appreciation back to my morning. I often find it easy to lose the sense of wonder for God's creation that I had as a child. The same is true of my relationship with God. The longer I've been in "the routine," the more likely I am to lose some of the wonder, the awe, and the freshness. It took a young child to remind me that I need to stop and enjoy the wonder of my relationship with God and His creation.

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