It is no
secret that children are often in their own world. One day our eight year old stopped dead in
his tracks in the middle of a store, pulled a wrapping paper tube out of a box,
and looked through the end of it.
At times I wish I could be like my child. At times I wish I could count how many tiles were on the floor at the market. At times I wish I could walk backwards just to see if I would run into anything. At times I wish I could stop and look to see if the world looks any different through the end of a tube of wrapping paper. Maybe it would change what I see. Maybe it would change how I see it.
I tell my children “eyes up” when we were out in public, so they pay
attention to their surroundings. I
want them to be careful not to run into someone. I want them to learn that they are not the
only ones in the store. I want them to
look out for others and to let others go ahead.
I want my children to see what happens when they keep their eyes up.
My children
would then see people. People with their eyes down. Only they are not counting tiles on the floor. They are simply struggling to look up. To have hope. My children would see
people; people running into things. Only
they are not walking backwards. They are being hit by the hard things in life. Colliding with never-ending roadblocks that seem to impede their every move. My
children would see people; people who are not paying attention. Only they don’t seem to notice they are not
the only ones in the store. My children would
see people; people who look out. Only
they do not look for others they look to go ahead.
If my children have their eyes up they can lift up the people who look down. If my children have their eyes up they can give direction to the people who are running into things. If my children have their eyes up they can sacrifice for the people who are not paying attention. If my children have their eyes up they can demonstrate to the people, who look to go ahead, what it looks like to generously be last.
Yes, the world could look different if we stop in the middle of a store and look through the end of a wrapping paper tube. The world could be different if we teach our children walk around with their eyes up.
If my children have their eyes up they can lift up the people who look down. If my children have their eyes up they can give direction to the people who are running into things. If my children have their eyes up they can sacrifice for the people who are not paying attention. If my children have their eyes up they can demonstrate to the people, who look to go ahead, what it looks like to generously be last.
Yes, the world could look different if we stop in the middle of a store and look through the end of a wrapping paper tube. The world could be different if we teach our children walk around with their eyes up.
