An afternoon with the children

My former mentor, and God-mother at work, offered me yet another opportunity for learning when she invited me to speak at her son's school about community service. As ever, I was touched and moved by her kindness and more grateful than words can convey. For the first time though, I realized that I was actually quite nervous to speak in front of an audience; an audience of mostly ten- year olds. You see, adults think in familiar ways (and I highly recommend reading 'The Little Prince' to find out just how suffocating those ways are ;) ), along well-beaten paths of questioning and reasoning. Children are a whole other species altogether. Not for them the confines of such paved avenues of thinking; not for them the excuses and burdens of 'that's how it's been done'. On winged chariots, their minds race a zillion paces ahead of you, pausing only to clarify 'why not?!'.
After agonizing for days on how best to present the notion of sharing and service to such a discerning audience, I finally decided to make a short presentation and let the energy of the class drive the better part of an hour ; go with the flow, I said to myself...And flow it did! In fact, the children took charge entirely. Within a few minutes of talking to them, one thing became very clear to me. They understood, almost implicitly, the need for sharing and giving. In fact, many were even rather puzzled at why I was going to such lengths to explain what a wonderful thing it was! On more occasion than one, I was caught speechless by their depth of understanding; of their grasp on the mindlessness in throwing away used eyeglasses rather than donating them. M frowned at the statistics that were projected- more than 97% of used eyeglasses go uncollected every year- and declared, "That's really silly! Why do people throw things away?", and his buddy shrugged his shoulders, "Seriously!".
Yeah, seriously!
After fielding multiple questions on how UFS works, various impairments of vision, starting eyeglass collection drives and so forth, I was quite overwhelmed by their zest and curiosity, and looking for a breather, I exclaimed, "You guys have already collected twelve pairs!". At which, S adjusted her own spectacles on her nose, and nodding sagely, said "It's the ripple effect."
...
A most glorious Friday afternoon, spent with the most precious little beings, I came out of the classroom, heady with the exhilaration of knowing our world is in very safe hands; in their hands. Also, stunned at the compassion that children have. They do not question why one must serve of or help another; only how. They do not wonder what good it will do them; just how much good it will do the other. Isn't it so strange and ironic, that in growing up, we must go back to being children; to re-invent for ourselves this purity of purpose and eagerness to give?

--

As only Gibran can, he describes, and I quote, the truth I discovered yesterday about children:
"
...

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

..."