From the Mouths of Babes

Is it just ME, or do you, also marvel at the wisdom of the young?

My Dad once said, “Youth is wasted on the young.”  What he meant by that was that one can chose to be “young at heart” (one of his favorite songs; and mine!) at any age; youthfulness is a spirit, an attitude.

He also believed that young people are worth listening to; right again, Dear Old Dad! 

Of that he would say, “…from the mouths of babes”, a phrase I lovingly credited to him; one that he shared with Ghandi!

 

They were both right.

These thoughts flooded my mind and heart recently as I read a story of a 4-year old little girl, Arianna Joy Rodriguez.  Now, the two words I think should never be used in the same sentence are children and cancer.  Sadly, little Arianna, is the story of a precious child who is undergoing chemotherapy for yet a second time.   

My prayers and thoughts to you and your family, Little One.

What do we have the right to expect of any 4-year old child?  NOTHING, except that they bring joy and love to those around them, that they listen more than they don’t, that they learn to share, and that they see a world with limitless possibility. 

What do we have the right to expect of Arianna?  NOTHING, except to hope that she trusts, that she tries, and somehow, still puts smiles on the faces of others around her.

That’s a lot to expect of anyone – at any age, don’t you think?  I do.!

Would you ever expect that this child, who is challenged beyond any adult’s ability to reason “why”, would be the source of strength to those very same people? 

Perhaps best defined by her middle name, “Joy”, Arianna manages to do just that and so much more.

Though Arianna faces another round of chemo, she experiences a sense of safety in the playroom at the hospital; the very place that would scare most of us.  A special child, indeed.

Arianna has decided she wants other children to be happy in that room, too, so much so that her family has created a not-for-profit, Hope in Joy, to provide gifts of toys, furniture, electronics, even a fish tank!  You go Arianna!  Be the beacon of hope for other children and lead by example.  You were born to lead and so you do – even at the tender age of 4!  You have proven leadership is not defined by age.

The potential for greatness is born in all of us; it must be embraced and the “why” attached to it.  If your why is big enough, no challenge can diminish it, no stone in your path can be too big so as to cause you to waver from it – if the “why” is big enough.

So what’s Arianna Joy Rodriguez’s “why”?   She said it best herself: “Never give up.  Every good thing that can happen will happen”.  That, dear child, is a lesson that takes most of us a lifetime to learn; thank you for teaching us.

     

Yes, “…from the mouths of babes….”

So, IS it just me, or do you, too, see that wisdom is born in each of us?  We just need to be smart enough to listen – even to children.

Why, you ask?

Why not!

TheIWLA is attempting to find more information about “Hope in Joy” and will make it available for those who may wish to make a donation.     Thank you.