babies: pure Life Force

Good Morning Everyone!

A beautiful, fun and uplifting movie has just been released in the theatres. Babies! The movie is a gorgeous documentary following the lives of four babies for one year from San Francisco, Tokyo, Africa and Mongolia. You will be enchanted, mesmerized, delighted and it will give you something to chew on. For us in Western Culture, we can take a few cues.

Children in other parts of the world that perhaps we have decided are “disadvantaged” appear to be happy, contented, and leading a fulfilled life sans things. Shocking, isn’t it? Watch the trailer for two minutes:

The single thing that strikes me about the film is that there is a clear absence of fear in the less “civilized” cultures. The babies are growing up naturally. The Mongolian family carries the baby with them on the motorcycle; the little African tyke takes a refreshing drink from the stream. They are healthy; they are happy; and most notably, they are more naturally at ease than our kids.

We are natural creatures. We live in Well Being unless we are “schooled” out of it by others who impart to us their fears. Often I have wondered that the entire generation of Baby Boomers actually lived to middle age. We rode our bikes without benefit of helmet or padding. We didn’t have car seats or seat belts. We rode in the back of pick up trucks. We drank from the streams in the woods. I know I must have eaten a bushel basket of dirt by the time I was 10 years old. We picked apples from trees alongside the road. We thrived.

We thrived because we were not imprinted with the endless litany of what might happen. We didn’t know we were anything other than safe, healthy and thriving. Our parents didn’t fuss over us. Certainly we were loved, of course; but they allowed us (without television) to find ways to entertain ourselves through out our days. The comment, “I’m bored” was met with, “If you can’t find something worthwhile to do, I can think of something….” which always meant chores. So we imagined forts in the basement of boxes, sheets and unused furniture. We trekked through the woods imagining we were explorers. We drew, painted, collected rocks. We were left to be and follow our own creative paths, unimpeded by television, play stations, computers or cell phones that might wither our creativity or stilt our imagination.

Without all the external noise, we could feel ourSelf moving through us and listen to ourselves think.

There isn’t a parent alive that doesn’t adore their children and want the very best for them. What’s the recipe then?

Allow them the quiet of their own minds and exploration.

Support them in becoming Who They Really Are; not what you think they ought to be.

Keep your fears to yourself; or better yet, release them and move yourself into Well Being.

Support their own knowing of what feels Good, Right and Correct for them.

Just Love and Appreciate them. It could very well be they came to teach us. They are pure Applied Spirituality.

Thanks for reading!

Kath