The Curious Child

They went down to 'the beach' (what my siblings call the river bed, half dried), and waded knee- deep, anxiously combing the murky depths for anything unique. They don't care that it's 40 degrees outside.

Their little muddy, bare feet tramped in, one after another. Each beautiful face beamed with pleasure as they proudly displayed their nature ' treasures'.

There is mud and grass everywhere, little fingers and toes soaked and cold to the bone but they are oblivious to that. They just want to know why the clam has so many rings in it. Or why the inside is so shiny and looks like a rainbow. Or if it's true that moss only grows on the north side of a tree. And what makes that plant a weed. Their little minds are always active. Always reaching out, yearning to find the answers to their endless questions. Because they know there is always an answer.

I love a child's mind. Innocent and oblivious to the cares of the world, only focused on what has caught their curiosity. You never know what questions they will ask. But you can always expect their inquiries to be incredibly funny, or surprisingly intelligent. They are smarter than we give them credit for. In many ways children are more sensible than their older influences. And we are responsible for shaping that curiosity in them. Do we look for opportunities to make the most of it?

Sometimes I might tire of the three year old's overwhelming curiosity while I try to go about the day. "What's that? Why you do that? Can I try?" God has created children with a built-in search for knowledge. When I stop and think about it, I remember what it was like to yearn for answers. Will we give them answers?