The Beauty of Children

A current Wal-Mart commercial playing on television has captured me. I stop everything as soon as it comes on. In a vignette surely to be played out a thousand times in the coming holidays, a dutiful grandfather packs his suitcase, schlepps through the airport, arrives at his destination city, and we see him at baggage claim. Then we see a young family of four headed his way—dad, mom, and two little girls about the same ages as my own granddaughters. They are coming to pick up gramps for a holiday visit.

The youngest of the two daughters is the image of the youngest of my granddaughters. She is short, walking on tiptoes through the crowded terminal, looking tentatively for her beloved grandfather. When she sees him her face lights up—yet she hesitates for a second before breaking into a sprint to be caught up in his arms. It's the innocence and tentativeness of a child all rolled into one. The look on her face is so genuine that I wonder if they used her actual grandfather in the scene.

Yes, they're actors, but the scene is full of emotion. I'm so thankful for my own granddaughters who come flying out the door if they see me drive up for a visit. Why do they do that? It's not that I come bearing gifts to jump-start their enthusiasm. They're just doing what happy children do. It's a beautiful thing.

I've seen other beautiful children recently in much more challenging situations. I can't imagine what must go through the minds of Afghan children who have suffered so much. They haven't breathed a breath their whole lives that didn't smell of war and suffering. Yet their beauty, in body and soul, remains vibrant—and convicting.

A high school friend, Jan Underwood Bradley, and her fine (recently retired USAF general) husband, John, have started the Lamia Afghan Foundation to help children in war-torn Afghanistan. Janny and I had a connection as the only two banjo players in our high school (she better than me; her twin brother Steve played bass in our garage band), and now she and her husband are taking hope and help to Afghan children. Here are two pictures of Jan and John with some of the children they are helping. (Please—don't give these pictures a hurried look. Take a minute to study their clothes and their surroundings—and the smiles on their faces.)

How resilient are children!—to have smiles on their faces in the midst of all they have been through. The beauty of children.

I, along with millions of other Americans, was touched last Friday night, and again this past Monday night, with segments about Afghan children on the NBC Nightly News. The beautiful Afghan children, mostly orphans, were just heartbreakingly noble—mainly because they seemed so happy in the midst of such desperate circumstances. The creative, driven young Afghan woman who manages 100+ children in the orphanage she started is amazing. I can't help but think that it's her optimism and hope that washes over her young charges. The following two NBC clips—first, from last Friday, then from the following Monday—tell the story and show the beauty of these little ones:

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After the Friday night report, I went to the NBC site to see what I could do to help and the servers were so busy that I never got through. But it's heartening to see how many Americans did and how many more children will be helped in Afghanistan. Who can just sit by when children, so often the ones who bear the scars of adults' foolishness, are at risk? I have supported various children the last 20 years through World Vision International. I have watched Peri in Indonesia grow up over the last 7-8 years. Now 16, he'll be moving on from the World Vision program and I will re-channel my support to another younger child.

I told my 32-year old twin boys on their birthday recently that I couldn't believe they were so old. I still think of them as the innocent, joyful, and pleasurable little guys they were 25 years ago. While they are still all that (okay, maybe not as innocent), the beauty of young children is irreplaceable by any other quality. I'm happy to have witnessed the beauty of my own five and how I learned through them to keep a compassionate corner in my heart for all children—especially those two Halloween-ready granddaughters I mentioned earlier (thanks to Jen for this great pic):