Going Back to Innocence...

I was thinking today (and you might want to think about this also), if there was any time in your life or any point of innocence of thought, behavior or transparency during your journey to becoming an adult go back and reflect.  Throughout the complexity of current issues, concerns and cares we all get bogged down just as a wheel does treading through life's moist grounds of unexpected events.  We tend to track our muddy issues across various stretches of road, sometimes that leads to nowhere and at other times to new places that we hope will be a fresh start for us.  Nevertheless with courage we move forward with an anticipation to start fresh, be cleansed of our past mistakes and challenges that help remold and reshape our thinking, behavior and approach to new ideas, wholesome thought and wise choices.

Just going back to an innocent time in your life when things were simple, cares were few and the complexity of people around you had little bearing.  An innocence of thought to do what you enjoy doing, enjoying seeing and hearing, and innocence of life that held no judgement against you in the types of friends you wisely chose to be in your company, those with whom you trust, and sacred places that you could open your heart to God with in order to express true worship.

     Going back to an innocence that spoke volumes in terms of a non-pressure from others to do what they thought you should do with your life, or how they perceived you, or how they would anger because you weren't apart of everything that they might have deemed important.  Innocence of responsibility (to a point), innocence of character where you are who you are and others dare have the audacity to belittle you as a human being.  Many of our African American friends have lived through this horrific era in time, but now experience a peace and level of respect that had not been allowed in many years past (so happy for my accompanying friends from this culture, beautiful culture in their own right).  

     So go back, it's okay, go back for just a little while...in your lazy-boy, or on the couch with the TV off, looking from your balcony or terrace, or while out by the bay watching the tide come in and travel out,  or riding in your car with the radio off, reminiscing, smiling, laughing, crying and wiping a tear, or just sitting quietly while reading this in your bedroom.  Wonderful isn't it?  Wow, and the beauty of it all is that it's your innocence, yours to reflect on with integrity, no judgement, no second opinion from someone else or from a family member.  It's your innocence, you lived it, you experienced it, untouched, unscathed, unrefined, just you... simply and divinely given to you as a gift. Thought, mind, body, ideas, growth, wisdom, love, life... innocence. Think back just for a minute or two.