The wisdom of children

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?"

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca- age 8
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." Karl - age 5
"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny - age 7
"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" Emily - age 8
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby - age 7
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate," Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6
During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." Cindy - age 8
"My mommy loves me more than anybody . You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." Clare - age 6
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine-age 5
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Brad Pitt." Chris - age 7
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." Mary Ann - age 4
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren - age 4
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." Karen - age 7
You really shouldn't say I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry".

Hope you find love in your world today.

Love Beth

One small candle can light a darkened room

Good morning! I am starting to get into the routine of spending a few moments each morning with my smoothie and my journal and just seeing what arises in the consciousness.

Today it is a about helping others. A friend of mine is having a very tough time right now. She is feeling physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually destitute. I asked if there was something I could do, and she asked if I might be able to pray for her.

I don't see praying in a religious sense, but rather as a way of surrendering our pain to the light of some greater force at work in the universe. Doesn't matter what you call it. But it's there and it is loving.

So, this is what I wanted to write on my blog for today.

Let us pray for those who are lost in the darkness
of their own pain...of poverty...of persecution...of violence...of war...of ignorance

Let us pray that they find a candle of hope to light their their way
That the angels of mercy, compassion and love
lift them from their darkness.

In the darkness, we can find the light

For the children
who live underground (I saw this heartbreaking documentary a couple of weeks ago about some children in Bucharest living literally underground. They felt safer there than at home. Some were as young as 10 or 11 and each night they inhaled petrol or some other horrible fumes yet they had a dignity that I and a committment to live that I found incredible)
And breathe fumes into their lungs
To escape, just for a few moments
The desperation of their existence
May someone lend a hand urgently
Before it's too late.

There is so much pain
So much sadness
So much sorrow.

How can one possibly bear to look and see and engage?

Too much for small shoulders to carry
Too much for one heart to bear.
Yet somehow they carry on
Fighting for this gift (?) of life.

I feel so impotent
So lazy
So distant.

I hear the whispering of a divine message...

You alone cannot liberate
all beings
from their own pain
one must
ultimately
meet their own maker
and decide how to live

all you can do
is continue to liberate yourself
and in doing so
you give others the freedom to do so for themselves.

then you must follow the path
set before you
with joy and gladness and courage

for the angels will reveal to you
how you can make a difference
must make a difference.

But you must fill your own cup first
and fulfil your own dreams
for they are important too

and then the cup will overflow
and the love will be shared
it has to be

When you turn on the light in a darkened room
have you noticed how the darkness disappears?
Have you noticed how little light it takes
to cast away the darkness?
Just one small candle can light a whole room.

So it is with love.
Just a little love can cast away fear
But one candle can only do so much

Little by little
As we join together
We can spread the light
and then others can start to, are already,
igniting their own flames.

Peace be to all.
Amen.