Children, Someone Worth Looking Up To

Adults and parents are often being reminded of little eyes and ears lurking in their shadows, following their footsteps.   They try so hard at being the best they can be and to be someone worth looking up to.  They keep conscience of their actions, reactions, tongues, fears and happiness. All because what they say and do, intentional or not, impacts our future population and future leaders of this world.   

But what if I said, let’s do the reverse. Let’s look up to our children instead.  Is it not the children that sometimes have what matters most: honesty, kindness, togetherness, compassion, simplicity and determination, all without discrimination?  The way life should and want it to be.

Their actions and words can melt your heart, yet at the same time, important values are recalled and many new lessons are learned from our younger generation.  They are the ones to bring out the best in us all and turn our attention to what is desperately missing from our grown up lives.   

My very bright daughter and physically challenged son, have done this for me.  While they may sometimes lurk in my shadow, I prefer to look up to them and follow in their footsteps.

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew18:4)

Shrinking Sam

After receiving my free book from Barefoot Books, I instantly became hooked.  I get drawn in to each and every story I read.  They are unlike any other children’s books I have ever read or saw before.  The front covers with all the colors and characters are mesmerizing.

Knowing this though, my immediate thought when seeing the title “Shrinking Sam” should not have been of the other books and movies about shrinking kids.  You know the ones. The innocence of the cover picture alone should not have let my mind go there.  Yes, I am ashamed to admit it, but it did.

That thought, however, quickly vanished a few pages in.  Sam, a middle child, was not shrunk by any machine or science experiment.  He was shrunk and washed down the drain by his own thoughts. Thoughts of being ignored.  But is he and has he disappeared completely?

“Shrinking Sam” is a simple story with a life lesson. Children along with adults will easily relate to Sam and his new friend Izzy when they don’t get the attention they want or crave. The ending will make them realize how big and important they really are. 

I learned an additional lesson from Sam.  Never ever ignore a title of a Barefoot Book because the story is much bigger on the pages inside.