As I’m sure you’re aware by now, I get very random thoughts in my head  that turn into ponderings that I sometimes put here.  Be thankful that I don’t do that every single time.  Then you’d know how crazy I really am…

I was thinking about things that are cute and wondering what it is about them that draws us in and reduces us to baby talk and melts our hearts every time.  We love babies and puppies and kittens and anything smaller than its adult counterpart.  We become nurturing and protective and silly over them.  What is that?

I think it goes beyond the fact that they are just cute, although I think cute does help. I think we are drawn to their innocence.  And even though we know they aren’t perfect, they are still unmarred by the difficulties of life.  They trust.  They trust completely.  Babies depend on us for everything and don’t even consider that we could drop them or not feed them or let them down in any way. They have precious baby breath not yet spoiled by bacteria and food.  As toddlers, they let us teach them how to walk and talk.  They come up with adorable baby words and phrases that we desperately try to hang onto and resist correcting.  As preschoolers they draw pictures that we keep forever, to remind us later that they were ever really this age. They still believe in magic and that dreams come true. They still trust that we know what’s best for them and haven’t yet experienced the harsh realities of the world.  Innocence.  Such a precious, fleeting thing.

We cry when we send them off to kindergarten.  Why?  Because we will miss them?  Well, yes, but I think even more because we know that their innocent little world will never be the same.  It is only a matter of time before they will lose their baby teeth, find out about Santa and the tooth fairy, get pushed on the playground. They will lose their lisps and learn their first bad words. We send them into the very world that they need to face, but that will undoubtedly hurt and somehow change them.  We desperately want them to stay little.  And though we know it’s not possible, we long to keep them protected from anything and everything that would steal even an ounce of their innocence.

But I think we mourn more than their innocence.  I think we mourn our own, as well.  It’s why we love to think back on childhood memories and remember childhood friends and experiences like they were yesterday.  It’s why we smile when we hear a song or smell a scent that takes us straight back to our youth.  Why our mom’s recipes from “back in the day” are some of our favorites.  It’s the reason chocolate chip cookies and milk are such a classic favorite.  All of these things take us back to when innocence reigned.  Before we’d been hurt, betrayed, lied to.  Before we had to exercise or diet.  Before we cared about what we wore or where we needed to be.  A time when life was simple.  A time when we just trusted and lived.  And we want it back….

Is it any wonder that Jesus says we need to come to Him like little children?  That childlike faith and trust in a Father that won’t let us down.  That only wants the best for us.  That wants to restore our innocence.  He has sent us out into the world,  knowing that we will experience pain.  But He is always there for us.  To kiss our owies.  To clean out our wounds and apply what is needed for healing.  To embrace us after a hard day.  To chat with us over oreos and milk about what’s going on in our lives.  He shares His heart, His love, His instructions for heading back out the next day.  And at night, He longs to tuck us in, pray with us and wrap us in the blanket of His peace and protection.

We have all  experienced things that have stolen different aspects of our innocence.  We have all done things we can’t undo. Seen things we can’t unsee.  Heard things that still ring ugly in our ears.  But we can experience innocence again when we choose a childlike heart and the simple faith of a trusting child in a Father deserving of such a trust.  A new sense of awe and wonder. Innocence.  Where magic happens and dreams can come true….