Innocence

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

-Matthew 18:3

There are few creations of God that will always attract my heart: the plants, the seas, and little children. I miss my childhood whenever I see kids. They are full of joy and very innocent, indeed. They are angels who share to me their heavenly smiles even if I look like a grumpy giant. And it has been an effective way to tame me.

I can still remember my high school days. I was a member of a so-called Rainbow Catering Club. It is a school organization which manages birthday parties for pre-school and grade school students. Unfortunately, I was always assigned as a mascot. I am big and the costume [sort of] fits me well but so far as I know it, I was not presentably adorable but the make-up worked like magic to make me look comic. I would carry the “pabitin” since there was no nylon provided. And even if I was dressed as a clown, the children were able to reveal my secret identity by simply pulling my wig together with the toys in the “pabitin”. The children would laugh at first and would tease me but after the party, I felt fulfilled because I was able to make children happy.

From these children, I learned how to have fun. Yes, back then, for me there was time for everything but I forgot about one thing-HAVING FUN. I was focusing my attention on my goals in academics and activities. Competition was serious and tough and the military discipline as a CAT officer has been part of my system. Until a friend of mine told me, “Vince, I think you are growing up so fast.” That woke me up. I contemplated that maturity should not be as serious as it sounds. That, it should not destroy the child within me. So I tried to change.

Until now, I can feel the transformation within me. To become child-like does not happen in a snap of a finger. We always have the decision whether to choose to become joyful preachers or not. You know, my friends, when God embraced humanity, it was a difficult life for Him but try to ponder on this, He shared His smiles with us like a child. Behind all the accusations, slaps and spits we gave Him was joy in His heart for He did not look at us as unworthy of His love. He was meek and innocent. He had already seen the joy which he prepared for us -- the victory of the Cross. Probably, when He was carrying the cross, he was not really in anguish. He could have been smiling and saying, “[Insert name here], hindi ito mabigat, mahal kita e!” (This is not heavy because I love you.)

Life should not be complicated. Life has to be meaningful. Maturity is learning without losing the kid within us. The crosses in our lives become bearable if we do it out of love and service, and most of all to glorify God. Because of God, I learned how to have fun. Let us not forget that our God is also a child who would love to play with us and say, “SMILE! I am here, my friend.”

-Vince Stanley Iñigo