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“You were born a child of light’s wonderful secret. You return to the magnificence you have always been.” ~ Aberjhani 

My nephew and his wife had a beautiful baby boy, Anthony.

He is a happy, little boy and always creates a feeling of joy as he giggles and smiles. I experienced a similar emotion after I adopted two kitten siblings, Ari and Samson. When I look into their eyes, purity emanates from their spirits, and I feel a sense of calm, as I do with Anthony. Newborns are gentle, trusting, vulnerable, without fear, and seem to give us mature beings a little escape from the world we live in.

It made me think—why are we so enchanted by new members of our planet?

Here are eight inspiring ways young innocence can bring us home to ourselves:

1. “Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.” ~ Henry Beecher

Young creatures generate a sense of awe, perhaps due to their recent arrival from an unknown, divine place of wonder. There is an element of mystery surrounding birth and anticipation about their future. From out of nowhere, a unique, a new little one enters the world whose identity has yet to be established, like a blank white canvas where the colors and textures of life have yet to emerge.

We wonder what they will look like as they grow, the characteristics and talents they will acquire, the contributions they will make during their lifetime, and what their dreams will include. But there is more to our fascination with these little ones outside of our unanswered questions. There is something special and treasured about them, and it is related to innocence.

2. Innocence leaves us feeling connected.

When we are near children and babies, it is an opportunity to be closer to the divine and creation before any influence from the world. Young creatures mean no harm and are in the purist state they will ever be in during their time on this planet. We embrace them, give them our attention, and develop a relationship through simple interaction. They remind us that we all experience this pure state at the onset of our lives, and we all share a connection.

3. Innocence encourages us to express and receive unconditional, unbridled love.

Young creatures have no agenda. They are unaware of game playing or manipulation, other than getting you to acknowledge that they are hungry, tired, or uncomfortable. They exemplify trust, which enables us to love without pretenses or expectations. Our interaction is safe and void of mixed messages or feelings of vulnerability. It is a free feeling to express love as we are meant to, without any degree of self-protection.

4. Innocence invokes a sense of hope.

We are drawn to beginnings and the newness of life, to dreams and possibilities. And when we watch a new creature emerge and develop, it evokes a feeling of positive anticipation, of hope, for the future of the little one and, maybe subconsciously, for ourselves.

5. Innocence finds joy in simple things.

When we are around the young, we witness their introduction to the world. They find magic in things most of us take for granted, like seeing leaves or snowflakes falling, hearing different sounds, or observing other living things. When we witness their discoveries, we may think of our childhood days, when running in the rain, making mud pies, or riding our bike down a hill brought sheer joy. When we are around innocent creatures, we are reminded of the happiness that can be found in simple things and the beauty surrounding us.

6. Innocence trusts that everything will be okay.

In the early years of life, little ones are fearless; never have I seen one worry. While we can attribute this to a lack of knowledge, it also indicates that we were not born with an innate feeling of fear, other than it serving as an instrument to support our survival in a life-threatening situation. It reminds me of a biblical verse (Matthew 6:26) that talks about how birds are not anxious about where their next meal will come from—they trust that it will.

Innocence shows us that perpetual worry and fear are not part of our original selves. It clouds our perspective, diminishes our spirit, and, if regularly practiced, can affect the trajectory of our lives.

7. Innocence reminds us that our words and actions influence others.

Since those little beings implicitly trust and depend upon us, we feel a sense of responsibility, conscience, and connectedness. Young creatures are incredibly receptive and highly influenced by our words and actions. When we interact with them, we are more mindful of our impact on those we encounter, both young and old.

8. Innocence may fade, but it continues to reside in us.

While we may do our best to protect innocence, it is impossible to preserve it in its original form. When we observe injustice or experience challenges, the fragile shell protecting our innocence is slowly chipped away. As a result, our childlike spirit can retreat, and we are less apt to experience the joy we had when we were kids.

When we are around innocent creatures, we may remember when there was an absence of stress and responsibility and when our hearts were full of hope. We may think of the dreams we once had (or perhaps still do), those that came to fruition, those we let go of, and the disappointment for those that did not. And when we take a step back and reflect on our lives and the beautiful colors and textures that occupy what once was a plain, white canvas, we realize that our good and bad experiences contribute to a beautiful portrait of life.

The “white canvas” continues to serve as the foundation of our lives, and our childlike innocence never leaves. It is something we can access anytime we choose to and something we should appreciate and embrace.

As I am getting older, I am drawn to innocence. But, does this attraction serve as an escape from the complexity of the world? Or could it be that as we age, we are more apt to recognize its value as we subconsciously begin to prepare to return to the pure, divine source from which we came?

Whatever the reason, my enchantment with innocence continues, and I find that I seem to seek it daily, whether through the faces of a little child, in the eyes of my little cats, or deep within my spirit. Innocence reminds me of the “good” in others, in myself, and the magic in the world. It encourages me to express love and maintain a hopeful perspective freely. It brings me closer to my original self, and I feel at “home.”

It encourages the happy child within me to surface with a giggle and a heart full of gratitude for the beautiful colors of life that emerged over the decades—that all began with innocence.

~