Spirituality and An Innocent Nature

This morning on Marta Writes, Marta posted about a leaf gathering trip with her little boy. She says,

"we worked together collecting leaves the other afternoon. benji works energetically at whatever task is at hand. i now see what is meant when the scriptures urge us to become like a little child; full hearted and fully present. complete and true. loving and wholly trusting. forgiving and forgetting. cheerful and ever optimistic. good to the core. i am striving to become more childlike. having one as my sidekick helps me see life's important details more clearly."

I didn't get far beyond that paragraph because I started to contemplate and see something very clearly in my brain...It is so wonderful to watch young children because they are exactly as she describes. It's so wonderful to have them so willing a trusting and loving. I LOVE the early to middle childhood stages of development.

And then they grow in to teenagers.

Oh my land. Have you been around teenagers? Tried to work with them? Raise them? Do ya remember being one like it was yesterday? How many of us look back and remember our know-it-all status?

It occurs to me that as adults, we spiritually possess either the willing nature of a child or the reluctant attitude of a teenager. Our learning is enhanced when we are open, trusting and full of love for the Savior. We all have experience with this. We all most likely have those profound moments because we have also been in that teenage place -- I can do it myself. I already know that. I want to do it my way. I don't have to follow those rules. I'll get around to it. Stubborn, independent, rebellious, procrastinating, prideful. I think being a mature adult has a lot to do with recognizing the humility needed for us to learn and progress, and allowing that humility to be present.

I love these 'lightbulb moments' in my life that inspire me do just a little bit better.