"The essential rectitude of our view of children lies in the fact that we feel them and their ways to be supernatural while, for some mysterious reason, we do not feel ourselves or our own ways to be supernatural. The very smallness of children makes it possible to regard them as marvels; we seem to be dealing with a new race, only to be seen through a microscope. I doubt if anyone of any tenderness or imagination can see the hand of a child and not be a little frightened of it. It is awful to think of the essential human energy moving so tiny a thing; it is like imagining that human nature could live in the wing of a butterfly or the leaf of a tree. When we look upon lives so human and yet so small, we feel as if we ourselves were enlarged to an embarrassing bigness of stature. We feel the same kind of obligation to these creatures that a deity might feel if he had created something that he could not understand."
~ G.K. Chesterton
~ G.K. Chesterton
No M does not have really have 6 toes : )
Isn't it so true how miraculous and marvelous babies are? I mean especially new babies. I think that one of the reasons why babies have the ability to grab anyone's attention. Even if it is just to seek a peek as we walk through the aisles of the grocery store.
I try and do the girls footprints every year around their birthdays. M was squeaked in on 12/31/13 but not for lack of trying to do it sooner. Who knew a 6x6 tile would be on backorder for WEEKS. I had to go out of my way to get to a different place and out of my way to pick it up.
I definitely like the cleaner solid background. Clearly my artistic skills are lacking
I try and do the girls footprints every year around their birthdays. M was squeaked in on 12/31/13 but not for lack of trying to do it sooner. Who knew a 6x6 tile would be on backorder for WEEKS. I had to go out of my way to get to a different place and out of my way to pick it up.
I definitely like the cleaner solid background. Clearly my artistic skills are lacking
" I doubt if anyone of any tenderness or imagination can see the hand of a child and not be a little frightened of it."
ReplyDeleteIf only our culture's response to such fear wasn't self-serving, right?! Chesterton's love for babies and children (or perhaps "admiration and awe" would be a better word than "love") floors me.
I agree. Many people view kids as a commodity that can be had and/or not had whenever one wants. What would the world look like if we looked at children with awe instead of an accessory?
DeleteI love that quote! I just sent it to a couple whose second baby, born a few days ago, is extra small and frail, but beautiful. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteChesterton was a wise one for sure!
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