Through the Eyes of a Child
Since being back home for the holidays, I have spent an unusual amount of time around children. Whether that be seeing my younger cousins at family holiday parties, watching neighborhood kids ride their bikes and scooters down the street, or spending hours playing with the children I nanny for, I’ve logged my fair share of hours this break. As a university student who largely exists in her college-town bubble, surrounded by other 18-22 year olds for nine months out of the year, this exposure to children is quite uncommon.
One of the things I have noticed most in spending time with kids years younger than my usual surrounding age demographic is the manner in which they approach the world. Unaware of societal expectations or pressures, children are carelessly themselves. They laugh or smile when they find things funny, unconcerned with others’ opinions. They cry when they don’t like something, unafraid to express themselves. They see the world with wonder and excitement. They hug the people and things that they love with true appreciation and gratitude. They ask why when they are curious, unashamed that they don’t have all the answers. They treat each person equally, without preconceived judgements or notions. They don’t rush through life. They live without fear or anxiety about the consequences of their actions.
Children find joy in the smallest and most seemingly mundane things in life. When I ask the kids I babysit for if they want to ride their bikes to the neighborhood park, they jump up in excitement, furiously bundle up in their jackets and boots, and giggle the entire five minute trip across the street. Once we arrive at the park, they each ride the same slide over and over, never getting bored, just excited to have the opportunity to play outside. For most adults, a trip to the park doesn’t seem all that exciting. If anything, it may seem like a burden or a waste of time that could be better spent doing other, more pressing, tasks. But, through the eyes of a child, a trip to the park can feel like the most exciting and extraordinary activity.
Perhaps we can learn from children in this sense–or relearn rather, to approach the world with more enthusiasm, excitement, and compassion. Of course it is understandable that people with more life experience who have gleaned exposure to the tragedies and inequities of the world are less likely to have such a positive or, some may say innocent, outlook on life. However, I think that there is something to be said for beginning to look at life through that of a child’s eye.
Maybe we would all be better off if we stopped caring what others think of us, our likes and dislikes, how we dress. Or maybe the world would be a more just place if we refrained from passing judgements onto others prior to meeting them or taking a moment to get to know them. Maybe we would smile more if we saw even the smallest things in life as huge achievements or opportunities. Maybe life would be a little more joyful if we looked at it with the imagination, curiosity, and care of our younger selves.