“Children have an inherent capacity for spiritual insight and experience, which is sometimes extraordinarily vivid and powerful. Many adults can recall powerful experiences of deep spiritual perception in early childhood, which sometimes leave a life-long impression. This is not primarily a matter of children’s ‘beliefs’, but of their capacity for spiritual experience that can be either nourished or neglected.”
When I go to church I always sit in the same pew. / I sit in front of Mandy and Linda and a couple of other people too. / We sing and take time to praise the Lord, / and when Jack starts talking I get a little bored. / Sometimes I get upset and I start to cry. / Everyone cares so they turn and ask why.
“What I really want my sons to see is their dad and me caring about people, spending time working for justice for the oppressed and building relationships with people regardless of their economic or any other status. Oftentimes, this is what really gets to me about being a mom: I don’t have time to go out and do amazing social justice work. I’m consoled by looking at historical Quaker women, most of whom had numerous children, and yet managed to make a difference.”
“I’ve been to quite a few discussions about how different people spend their time in meeting for worship, been given suggestions and things to try, but those ten minutes I have twice a month are different every time. I listen to and reflect on the readings and ministry. I breathe deeply. I admire the beautiful world out the window. I give thanks for the people who are present and think of those who are not. I try to clear my mind of daily worries. I try to focus on my feelings. Sometimes I just stare at the ticking clock waiting for it to be over. I’ve felt enlightened, relaxed, happy. I’ve made resolutions. I’ve come to feel a sense of peace. But I wouldn’t claim to ever have cleared my mind completely or to have heard the Inner Voice.”
“There should be the greatest care imaginable, what impressions are given to children; that method which earliest awakens their understandings to love, duty, sobriety, just and honourable things, is to be preferred.”
“Accompaniment on a journey can make an extraordinary difference, whether the journey is physical or spiritual. The times we’re living in may feel like a disorienting new path, or like a familiar road walked too often. Beyond politics, children (and people of all ages) are living with deep concerns, worries for the future, and uncertainty about what all this means for them, their neighbors, friends, and family….”
“The time when you were born and came into the world, was a time of deep exercise and trouble with me— not from the Lord, who always spoke peace unto me, and did sustain me—but by reason of the adversary of mankind, who always seeks to devour the good in all, and is the sower of discord and mischief in the hearts of those who fear not the Lord, neither abide in His counsel. Into these he enters, as any place is given unto his temptations, and there he corrupts the mind.”
“We’re hungry for a chance to talk about our children — and there’s lots to say. The complaints, the dilemmas, the near disasters come first. They’re what’s on top, and we need to talk about them. But the hard times are not the whole story, and, somehow, it’s harder to tell of our love. We’re embarrassed, we’re ambivalent, we’re protective, we’re shy. But our love for our children is so good, so deep, so central to our hopes for a better world. The more of it that can be made visible, the better off all of us will be.”
“Heavenly Father, what precious burden have we dropped to one side in the midst of all our frantic running? Shall we save the world and lose the soul of one untended child? Let thy light shine through our every waking moment, that we and our children may know by whom and for what we are created. Spare us from the blasphemy of taking the weight of the world upon our shoulders.”
“I think parents need to be aware of how vital it is to leave everything to answer a young child’s reaching out to you to ‘come quickly’: to share a sunset, the beauty of a discovered wild flower, the trick of the pet dog, or to listen with full attention–no matter what seems prior on your agenda–when children burst into the house from school eager to have you listen to a tale of woe or a triumph they have experienced during the day.”
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