The saddest moment may be when child becomes adult.

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Isn't it interesting that the young of any kind of animal are invariably cute. Not infants, but babies past the baby stage, and grown enough to toddle. They're round and cuddly like stuffed toy animals. When they toddle, trip and fall down, they roll over and laugh. They're bright, perky, and happy. They're curious about whatever they can touch or put in their mouth. They play with anything they can reach. Sometimes they get scared and run to their mammas. Otherwise, their natural default is trust.

Then they grow-up.

Cute, trusting little creatures start to discover that a lot of their expanding new world is not quite as they'd like it to be. They get suspicious. Those other kids are getting more than I'm getting? I think Mom likes my sister more than me? Why can't I have more? Besides that, I feel funny, I look funny. I don't know whether to cry or bite someone. Too many other kids are stronger than me, or prettier, or more handsome. They all have more stuff than I do.

I don't like them.

And so, trusting toddlers become cunning adults. The lose the innocence they were fated to lose. Cubs become lions. Baby rhinoceros turn into massive tanks. Puppies become wolves. Kids become teenagers. No species is spared. Those once cute are no longer cute. Adults are never cute. The stress and strain of daily life makes cuteness an impossibility. Full-grown animals can be attractive in other ways. They can't be cute.

Well, so what? It's natural. It's the way things are supposed to be. Young animals would die without their parents protection. You gotta be tough in this world.

Sadly true. Especially the sad part.

Peter Pan and Mark 19:14 seem to agree on the value of childishness. "Suffer the little children to come onto me", Jesus adds, "for such is the Kingdom of Heaven". Peter Pan promises children a way to never grow-up. Never-Neverland is something like Heaven for kids.

Mmm? Both Jesus and Peter Pan think there is something very important about never growing-up. Animals have no choice in how they grow-up, but humans have one special choice. Humans can't help shape-shifting to adult form. In that, their just like all the other animals, but humans have Free-Will - they can control their attitude. The best qualities of a toddler are: trust; kindness; and joy in what you have. All those qualities can be deliberately retained by adults who choose to do so.

Can't stay cute forever.

You can be nice.

By K. L. Shipley

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