The writer Paul offers in 1 Corinthians 13 these thoughts, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways” (1 Corinthians 13:11).
This essay is an addition to the discussion I had in a previous post around the spiritual practice of Wonder, you can find it here: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/loveopensdoors/2023/11/eyes-of-a-child-the-spiritual-practice-of-wonder/
What does it Mean to be Childlike versus Childish?
We have a maturity problem these days. Emotional immaturity, spiritual immaturity and intellectual immaturity seem to be lauded these days. To be childish then is to be petulant, narcissistic and have a rigid way of thinking. All these characteristics can be observed when sitting in a room of toddlers.
But there is something else that can be observed with the same room of toddlers. They are curious, they ask questions, a lot of questions. After a day with a toddler, one may even begin to think that there is no end and indeed, there is not. To be like this is to be childlike. We must cultivate a hunger for curiosity and knowledge that knows no limits. We also will see that with toddlers, they do not recognize the color of people’s skin like the adults in the room do. They simply go with the idea “if the person is nice to me and we gel, I am going to play with them.” There is an innocence there that is magical to watch. This. This is the posture we must cultivate, though I understand that there is a certain naivete that we must be aware of, and we always must consider our safety.
Let everyday be a new day
It does not matter if you have been at the same job for a long time, I have been in my current job almost 8 years. I try and find surprises in my job every day, I try and cherish every laugh, every tear, every surprise, and every setback with my clients.
In my post on wonder, I offer Thich Nhat Hahn’s morning meditation thought: “Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.”
Not only do we look with the eyes of compassion, but we also need to look with eyes of curiosity. Life is not just a moment of being, it is moments of becoming. I have never had a day that was exactly how the day before went. Today it is raining, yesterday it was sunny and warm. I roughly am seeing the same clients today as I did last Wednesday, but today is different.
How Can we Cultivate a Childlike Wonder in Our Spiritual Practices
Embracing a childlike wonder in our spiritual practice involves cultivating an open heart and fresh eyes towards the world around us. It is about rediscovering the awe and amazement we felt as children when everything was new and exciting. Here are some ways to do this:
- Spend Quality Time in Nature: Observing the beauty and complexity of the natural world can inspire and appreciate. I love chickadees. They are tough little birds. I also love how the seasons change, and you never see the same thing the same way twice.
- Engage with Children: Play is a primary language for children. Spending quality time with children, participating in their play, and seeing the world through their eyes can help reignite our own sense of wonder. Children naturally embody learning and wonder, and we can learn from their curiosity and openness.
- Practice Mindfulness: Being fully present in each moment, as children often are, can help us see the extraordinary in the ordinary.
- Cultivate Curiosity: Stay curious and open-minded. Ask questions, seek answers, and embrace the unknown.
- Embrace Playfulness: Play is a spiritual practice (https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/practices/alphabet/view/26/play and one that does not end when you become an adult. That is our problem these days, we do not play enough. We work too much. I have made a point that my work is just a means to an end. That end is to play as much as possible.
- Practice Gratitude: Recognizing and appreciating the small miracles in everyday life can help us maintain a sense of wonder. This could be as simple as expressing gratitude for a beautiful sunrise or a kind gesture from a stranger.https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/practices/alphabet/view/13/gratitude
We all walk around with a little child within us. We all hold the potential for the same curiosity we had when we were eight years old. In the American society, we are told that when we are eighteen, it is time to grow up. This is reinforced by Paul’s words mentioned earlier in my post. But Paul tells us to put childish ways behind us, not cease being childlike. In my next post this week, I will look at how the loss of mentorship and guidance in our young people have led to a generation of anxious and at times traumatized adults who have no capacity for wonder because they are just struggling to hang on to day-to-day existence.
In the beginning of my therapy career, my first supervisor used to say always ask the why question. If you continue to have a why, you do not have an answer. Keep going till you do. Life is a process of becoming. We are not meant to be stagnant being that do not change over time. Life has chapters and it is our life journey to fill the pages. Cultivating curiosity will make the story more interesting.
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