This I ask myself. Why do we have children? I’m not talking about the “population question” or the Church’s teaching about being open to life; I mean, why did God design us so that to further our species, we have to start from something so small and so helpless and so, well, frustrating as a new born child? I suppose He could have designed us so that we came forth fully-grown and fully mature, and then thrown in original sin to start the whole thing off. But He didn’t. Instead we have to start with that helpless, crying baby and go for years and years and years and years before — if we’re lucky — something reasonably approaching a civilized being is discerned.
Why did God do it this way? I ask this because my son is now three years old, and I remember some spiritual write suggesting that, in God’s eyes, we’re all about two years old. So, giving myself a level of maturity beyond all reason, I suppose that I am to God much like my three year old is to me. There is the answer! God designed this business of children so we could know how He feels. This isn’t just a good laugh. When I stop and listen to what I’ve been saying to my three year-old it sounds eerily like those little spiritual nudges I get throughout the day.
First, I notice that I call my son’s name about eighty to ninety times a day and he doesn’t respond. Hmmmm. Then there are the other things:
“No.”
“Stop.”
“Slow down.”
“Calm down.”
“Quiet.”
“No whining.”
“Not so loud.”
“Listen to me.”
“Why don’t you listen to me?”
“Listen to your Mother.”
“Don’t do that to your brother.”
“I’m doing this for your own good.”
“I’m doing this because I love you.”
“Pay attention.”
“What did I say?”
“Pick up after yourself.”
“How do you ask?”
“Say, ‘please.’”
“Say, ‘thank you.’”
“Say, ‘I’m sorry.’”
“Listen to me!”
“That’s not yours.”
“You have too many toys.”
“You have to share.”
“Because I said so.”
“I’m your father.”
“Go to sleep.”
“I love you.”
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