While self-improvement practices should be approached with intense commitment and resolve, they should not be a cause for too much severity. Rather, we must be like a child full of innocence, wonder and trust. When we look through the eyes of a child, we see a beautiful world full of promises and an exciting life surrounded with love and no worries. If only we step aside from our adult wisdom and interpretations and assume this childlike attitude, we can readily live and serve God through our loving and caring relationships with one another.

In our homes and workplaces, we know we have to be humble and sincere in what we are called to do. But when our duties are seemingly maligned by other members and our efforts pushed aside to give way to some leaders'directions, do we resort to a childlike or childish attitude? If childish pride is still very much in us, we either refuse the work assigned to us or quit altogether. This is the childish attitude, letting our ego soar high and thinking that our human wisdom is sufficient to guide us. We must learn to humble ourselves and be childlike asking God for His grace to guide us. We must always pray to the Holy Spirit to empower us to discern situations with humility and with a pure heart, to be kind even in our disappointments and to exercise fraternal correction and self evaluation, for our own spiritual transformation and for a better community.

As we go through our daily tasks, there are many instances that we may act childish toward our loved one or a co-worker but not recognizing it due to one's false pride and self- centeredness. Only when our hearts are heavily burdened and we feel isolated, that we later realize that we had let pride and malice got into our actions. Then life feels so bad and desolate.

A childlike attitude on the other hand makes us feel free and happy, enriching our relationships with our families, our friends and the community. We do not wallow in self pity and we do not live in suspicion and mistrust among our loved ones and friends. A heart that is childlike, humble, pure, caring, giving and forgiving can only be full of joy and from that heart, love overflows, reaching to everyone it meets and sharing it. Then life feels great and satisfying!

Each one of us has the choice to feed on the negative attitude, the childish attitude, and produce ill- feelings for oneself and to others or to feed on the positive attitude, the childlike attitude, producing good feelings for oneself and to others. Which one is yours?

Tags & Keywords :