One thing I love about Sundays is going to church. I admit, I am not the most diligent church-goer. But being here changed that. I think the Sunday sermons are God’s way of speaking to me. Of giving me signs and providing me with wisdom, hope, and faith.
Today’s sermon is about the importance of a child’s innocence. The priest opened the sermon with this question: How much of the innocence of children you still retain?
According to the priest, this innocence can be taken away by pain. Looking back, I am sure I did not have a normal childhood. With all the hullabaloos my family went through when I was little, I just knew I needed to be strong and fully understand the situation. I don’t know how much innocence was taken away from me… or I took away myself.
Here are some messages that struck me the most:
“We prostitute ourselves trying to be somebody other than who we are, because if we’re not who we were told we have to be, we wouldn’t be accepted.”
“But people internalize those hurts and rejections the way that we lose the resilience of children. One of the great things about children is they can be hurt but then they bounce back quickly. They are willing to be vulnerable again, to love and offer their hearts.”
“Is there anyone in your life, in whose presence you can simply be yourself as nakedly and openly as a child?”
Innocence of childhood makes everything look easy. It makes pain, redemption, moving on, acceptance, look easy. People are afraid to be truly themselves, in fear of rejection. People are afraid of failing, because others might judge them for it. I am most people, but I want to believe I have a little kid inside of me left — someone who is hopeful and fearless.
Retaining innocence is one thing, but how about regaining it? I am still in my journey to self-discovery. I hope, along the way, I will be able to get that innocence back. It might sound impossible, but I believe it’s doable.
isabella jh. 