“Hi I love u mommy”
The text came in, gently jolting me from my daily “work.” A welcome jolt of love, like a soothing breeze touching my cheeks while experiencing the joy of a rushing ocean wave.
It is the voice of this child that brings tears to my eyes. Tears because I love her. Tears because she loves me. Tears because she KNOWS that I love her!
These are the good sort of tears.
There is something so precious about a child’s love. It is able to permeate the deepest areas of the heart. It is able to soothe the roughest spots. It is able to stop us, as adults, in our tracks and realize the simplicity and joy of living. But, that is only IF we allow it to touch and bless us.
But, not all children, despite their innate ability to love, have the blessing of being loved in return. And, this can damage the child in a permanent way.
The month that I wrote this (April 2012) was National Child Abuse Prevention Month and my heart is particularly aware of the hurting children out there. There are so many forms of abuse, so many forms of pain, and children are not the only ones who suffer from pain, but they are tiny, unknowing, and vulnerable and we desire to protect them. This is the only way to protect our future, as these will be our future adults and leaders. But, more than that, I want to nurture from a mother’s heart.
There are some very obvious hurts, that are evident in the bruises on the body, and other things that I can scarcely type, but there is also a pain that sears deep into a child’s heart and sits there, possibly for years, and that is the lack of love and validation that all of us humans are born desiring and needing.
You can see this pain in the eyes of the child, in the void and longing that you see in their eyes, desiring to be loved, desiring to be validated, desiring to be accepted. Even those of us who are not the parents, have the opportunity to connect with that child. Even if we are unable to reach out and touch or hug that child, we are able to look that child deep in their eyes and show them the love that they crave. They may not be able to articulate it verbally, but they will see it. Why? Because they are craving it and desperately seeking it and will look deep in the eyes, if they are able to look up from their pain to take the scary chance to look in your eyes and they will see it. They will see it because that is what they are looking for in their lives.
Love is simple. Let’s not cast aside these children, let’s learn to look past their imperfections and simply, very simply, love them. After all, they know how. Let’s learn what they are born knowing and desiring. At the heart of the matter, don’t we all desire love, just like the child inside of each of us?
Note: I (Deborah) wrote this article and published it on another site, back in 2012. However, that site has disappeared and so I am re-publishing it here, for my audience.
This is really nice. A child’s innocence is the most attractive and warm feeling on the earth. Love of a child and his mother is just incomparable. Love can not be measured in terms of any unit. It is just a feeling of care and share between two persons.
Thank you 😉 Yes, I agree. To quote you, “Love of a child and his mother is just incomparable.”
wow, very emotional and lovely post. I save that image to share 😉
It’s very unfair that some children do not have the love and care that they deserve. I see them all over the place here where I live. And it always hurts me to watch them and not be able to take them out of their misery.
I agree. It is painful to see and to experience. Thank you for sharing.
nice post…really loved it!!
Very touching!
Thank you. I appreciate the kind words.
its good to have kids. I dont wanted kids before. But 2 years back we had a baby girl. She changed my life. Everything is happening well in my life.
Yes, children are wonderful. Becoming a mother was (and is) one of the greatest joys of my life. Thank you for sharing. I wish you well with your toddler 😉
Love can not be measured in terms of any unit. It is just a feeling of care and share between two persons.
I can appreciate your view and therefore, it is good that my article does not address love in those terms, measured in units. Though, in my experience, I think of it as more than a feeling and in the case of my article, a bit of a challenge to help those who need our love the most. Thank you for your comment.