The opposite morning, my husband and I had been strolling on the park, taking in all of the sights of crops and flowers and the sounds of birdsong. A big swath of yellow buttercups crammed a close-by area. My husband reminisced about how, when he was a baby, youngsters used to select a buttercup, place it beneath the chin of a pal, and ask, “Do you want butter?” Lore stated {that a} yellow reflection from the flower on the chin indicated the particular person did, certainly, like butter. In fact, the buttercup’s vibrant, sunny yellow was mirrored on the chins of just about everybody. I bear in mind enjoying that very same childhood “recreation,” one which apparently dates again to no less than the late nineteenth century. My husband famous that it’s hardly even sensical; in spite of everything, who doesn’t like butter?
Whereas I have no idea the origin of the outdated exercise, it did make me take into consideration how a lot magical considering fills our experiences of childhood! Youngsters would possibly play within the forest and picture a world the place fairies exist. Some make a fairy backyard with acorns, twigs, leaves, and the like. My very own youngsters cherished to gather leaves, pinecones, seashore shells, and stones. Pure objects appear to own a form of sacredness and are filled with risk.
Although we are able to, after all, clarify phenomena like yellow chins beneath buttercups scientifically, there may be additionally a non secular aspect to childhood that enables for creativeness to imbue objects with meanings past their seen traits. Possibly a flower is only a flower, or perhaps it has particular powers to inform whether or not a pal likes butter and whether or not that pal is extra just like the yellow flower when her chin turns yellow. So my considering went as a baby, anyway.
Once I go on my annual retreat every summer season, I wish to attempt to get again into a bit of little bit of that childhood mindset. For me, meaning being extra sensory, on the one hand, and being extra imaginative, on the opposite. Prayer is likely to be reflecting with Scripture and delving extra deeply into who Jesus is, however it may possibly additionally contain mendacity on my again on a big seaside rock and watching the clouds shift form, very similar to after I was a baby. This, too, is prayer, because it’s a solution to let myself unfold earlier than God via creation. I shed a number of the components of my on a regular basis self that may get in the way in which of a deep retreat. I shed the bag that hauls my books to work and the enterprise jacket, however I additionally shed some psychological layers as effectively. When I’m open to admiring the buttercups that line the trail to the pond or let myself scent the scents of the seashore roses, an area is created in me that’s now not stuffed with my “to do” checklist or worries. After which God has a bit of extra room to enter in.
Lately I’ve additionally tried to carry that openness into on a regular basis life. Even after I do don my work garments and discover God in my vocation as a instructor, it’s good to pause and to pay attention to the flowers, timber, and sky and to immerse myself only for a second within the extra childlike consciousness of a Creator that’s working via all the pieces.
