mulling over her words

About a year ago we were in China walking from our apartment to New Day Foster Home. It was just the two of us and she was chatting about anything and everything. In the course of conversation, she mentioned how she hopes in heaven she will get to be a kid again.

I asked her why she wanted to be a kid in heaven. With a big grin she said being a kid seems like a lot more fun than being an adult. Her answer caught me off guard and I have been mulling over it ever since.

I’ve been mulling over how her answer is a gift – one that every child should know, but every child does not.

I can’t stop thinking about all the children who want nothing more than to escape their childhood. I think about the stories Chris shares about kids in the foster care system. I think about kids in my town, my state, my country…kids across this globe who would never use the word “fun” to describe being a kid because all they know is insecurity, pain, and hurt.

There are days these thoughts make me feel overwhelmed and hopeless – how can I be a part of the change? There are tons of practical ways outside my home I can make a difference. There are also ways inside my home I can be a part of change. I go back to the words of Mother Teresa, “If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.”

I can’t change the world to insure every kid knows what it means to have fun, but I can raise my kids to have empathy and compassion for others. I can help my daughter celebrate the fun of childhood while also teaching her to have eyes to see the hurting and the lonely. Instead of being overwhelmed with all I can’t do, I can look for what I can.