The Eyes of a Child Christmas, it is said, is best seen through the eyes of a child. I saw many of those eyes today in my various stops visiting family and friends. Ah, but there is always one who steals your heart, eh? Her name was Kate. 5 years old, a daughter of one of my wife's distant cousins. Kate and I 'connected'......thru a shared glance across the shredded gift wrapping paper covered linoleum of her Great Grandpa's floor. I was a little surprised when she came over and plopped herself up in my lap. There was something about Kate that I immediately recognized. Perhaps it was the almond shape of her dark eyes, or the high cheekbones that framed them. We sat in silence, just happy to watch the others in their revery. Her mother came by and said hello. Thinking she was Cherokee, I asked her who her people were? I'm not Cherokee," she answered, "I'm Yakima." "Oh, from Toppenish," I asked? No, but close, she answered. She smiled, and signaled her reassurance at who was holding her child. Little Kate exhibited the beauty often found in mixed blood children. Her ancestries concerting together creating this flower that as a whole was more beautiful than the sum of her genealogy. It gave one pause to reflect on the beauty of children. The pure innocence and wonder that they exude. My faith tells me of another child born on this very day; This day set aside to celebrate His birth. And that through the wonder of it all, that there is hope for little Kate, and for all of us as well. Kate and I giggled and told each other little vignettes of our lives, so different, yet with such a commonality. I remembered my own youth, and the many trials and tribulations of it. Kate has a long path ahead of her. Those beautiful little eyes will see much in the way of hatred and misunderstanding. She will come to know prejudice and bias and bigotry. She will know hurt and mistreatment because of who she is. If you have a Faith, I want you to consider little Kate in your prayers this evening. If you don't, then please think of good thoughts for her and her path. She will need all of them. The eyes of a child can soften even the most callous of hearts. I am hopeful for a day when we can all afford to be like Kate, and just be ourselves and giggle and tell story to one another without worrying who is holding us............or whether they are trying to hold us down. I want us all to have the eyes of a child. This is my prayer for the New Year. |
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The Eyes of a Child
© Michael "Wauhilau" Walkingstick 2002
gathered from the net
"Sacred Ground" midi courtesy of élan michaels bead bar courtesy of Greasy Grass