Children, the rampant selfishness and egoism found in society today are smothering the tiny world of children’s innocent play and laughter. At present, we are familiar only with cunning and artificial smiles, which are not really smiles, only a stretching of the lips. There is no sincerity behind them. We must reclaim the child’s world, filled with innocent play and laughter. A child’s heart is lying dormant within each one of us. Without awakening it, we can never experience peace or joy.
A child-like heart does not mean childishness, which refers to indiscriminate and immature behaviour. A child-like heart refers to the attitude of a beginner, the curiosity and enthusiasm to learn about everything without becoming bored. There is wisdom in it. Some might say that a child has no discernment. But he is wise enough to know that he can depend on no one, but his mother.
A child plays with abandon, enjoying himself and forgetting the world around him. Even if he gets angry or sad, he forgets it instantly. His heart is light and free. He finds joy in small things. As a result, his enthusiasm is inexhaustible. He has an insatiable curiosity about everything. These are the hallmarks of a child-like heart.
Some children tell Amma, “My friend’s mother is suffering from cancer. His father has no job, and they have no food to eat. O Amma, please help his father get a good job.”
All of us have within us such a heart, which longs to share the sorrows of others and to console them.This is manifest in childhood.
A little girl’s friend died. The girl went to her friend’s home. When she returned, her father asked her, “What did you do there?”
“I consoled my friend’s mother,” she said.
“How did you do that?” her father asked.
“I sat in her lap and cried with her.”
The hearts of children become emotionally attached to other people and beings. They become sad when they see the pain of even a tiny insect.We, too, had this quality when we were children, but lost it as we grew older. We have since become embodiments of selfishness and egoism.
There, however, is still a child-like heart within us all. If we can awaken it, we can progress towards a joyful and successful future. Innocence is within you. You just have to rediscover it. And for this to happen, you must go deeper into your spiritual practices.
When you can dive deep into your own consciousness, you will realise this innocence. At that moment you will discover the child within you. You will experience the joy and the wonder that were hidden inside you, and will realise they were always there. That child-like innocence deep within you is God.
When your heart is full of innocent love, the ego is absent. In that state, only love is present. In that state, individuality disappears and you become one with the Lord. You become as innocent as a child. When a child offers something, it cannot be rejected because a child’s love is untainted and pure. When you dwell in pure innocent love, there are no dual feelings like pure or impure, good or bad, and so forth. There is only love. Pure love cannot be rejected.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian
There is still a child-like heart within us all. If we can awaken it, we can progress towards a joyful and successful future. Innocence is within you. You just have to rediscover it.