Little Children

February 2, 2011

Growing up I had very idealistic, if unrealistic, ideas of adulthood.  My ideas were pretty vague, but these ideas have stuck with me.  Now that I’m an adult I fall very short of these ideals.

One evening I was complaining to my roommate Jess about cleaning my dishes.  I whined, “I don’t want to wash the dishes but I will because I want to be a responsible adult.”

Jess responded, “You are a responsible adult.  You go to work.  You pay your bills. And you don’t go out drinking every night.”

Jess’ definition of a responsible adult make me laugh!  It fell so short of my ideals of a responsible adult.  But I think she had something there.  I’m not the perfect adult I thought I would be.  I don’t keep my house spotless.  I don’t eat vegetables all the time.  And I don’t like to wash my dishes.  (Why did I think as a child that when I became an adult I’d actually like to do chores?)

But what I am learning is that at least for me, being an adult is about holding onto your childlike spirit.  I think here in New Zealand God is teaching me how to keep the wonder, the imagination, and the adventure of a child.  To me being a responsible adult means being responsible enough to recognize my need to just let go and have some fun!  Yes, the dishes still need washing, but I don’t want that to get in the way of enjoying this marvelous adventure I’m on.

Even Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 18:3)

So I’m going to let go of my need to fulfill these unattainable ideals of adulthood.  I’m going enjoy the simplicity of being a child again.  (But I think I will still squeeze in some time to wash the dishes.)