This Little Guy

teach us to count the days

teach us to make the days count

lead us in better ways

somehow our souls forgot

life means so much

life means so much - chris rice

For those of you who don't know I recently became an uncle.  On November 7th 2010 Lukas Franklin Pfeiffer was born.  I really do like kids but "this little guy" has captured my heart and attention in a way I wasn't sure was possible.  What is it about babies that does this to us?  For only being about four and half months old he has caused me to think a lot about life and regain a fresh perspective.  I love watching him take in everything that he is seeing, hearing, feeling, etc.  I often think we "adults" need to pay more attention to the way babies and children interact with/view the world.  For example I can't stop thinking about how right now at this moment Lukas doesn't know about lying, jealousy, greed, war, social injustice, persecution, etc.  I am not sure he understands what trust is but it is what he is experiencing with his parents and anyone that interacts with him.  Likewise, I don't think anyone would cause him any harm.  But that got me thinking, if people wouldn't do anything to cause harm to a baby then why do we do it to one another.  I suppose it has something to do with what Chris Rice is getting at, in his song Life Means So Much, when he says, "somehow our souls forgot, life means so much."  It's like somewhere along the line we just forget about the fragile & delicate parts of our lives that I feel are so evident in babies and children.  We forget that we need to love one another and work together to make this world a better place.  

I remember a few weeks ago I was at my brother and sister-in-laws house holding Lukas and was just overcome by his "newness" and his innocence and I whispered to him my first words of advice as "Crazy Uncle Matt" (as I have come to be known).  I said, "Luke, there are really only two main things that you need to know in life.  One, you have a family that loves you and two that God loves you."  Those are two facts that have made a huge difference in my life.  I want to be sure that Lukas knows that.  I can't wait until he is old enough to talk so that I can have conversations with him.  But I don't want to rush his life, I am sure he'll grow up plenty fast.  

So may we all be able to look around and see the world again for the first time as a baby would.  Take some time to go for a walk and try to look at something you "see" everyday and then try to really see it or see it in a new way.  I would also encourage you next time you get upset with someone think about a baby and realize that our lives can be fragile.  I think if we all treat each other how we treat babies the world might be a better place.