Many years ago I worked in a Head Start program for the summer.

Precious memories of those energetic four year olds flood my mind.

All different colored eyes and shapes.

A variety of backgrounds

Two wearing glasses and some struggling with very simple skills

but all so eager to learn. For school.

I was preparing to be a teacher and loved this chance to work with these kids –

many whom had much less of this world’s advantages than I.

I left early to go to work each day. As if I couldn’t get enough of my time there.

Giggles and laughter.

Learning and growing.

I remember sitting at

the large wooden rectangular table

at snack time. Littles ones on each side.

Wiggly  bodies. Tiny little hands. Beads of sweat on their noses sometimes.

Dimples. Grins.

They’d chatter back and forth and I absorbed every moment of their delightful company.

For the first time I knew that I was in my niche.

Children.

My eyes saw treasure and potential and value.

But my heart pulled me to look beneath the surface

and so I gazed with wonder.

I did the math and saw that the year I was 16

they were born.

Me, dealing with Latin, Geometry, friends, music and so much more

and their tender lives just beginning.

Me, living with advantages  and them with so little. Heartbreaking little.

Some needing a good bath and their nails clipped.

Others obviously needing so much more. Why was it so?

My heart saw their innocence. Their worth.

My heart saw their possibilities.

My heart saw their disadvantages

and I longed to do more

be more

give more.

Yes, the years have passed but I still see those precious little ones

and am grateful for that brief summer

when I was privileged to work with them.

All around us are folks with many, many needs.

It is all too easy to not even see them.

to be blind to the disadvantages, the needs whether physical, emotional, social or spiritual of another.

But we must resist that tendency – the numbing of our senses.

Lord, open my eyes and help me to see

and open my heart to respond to the needs calling to us all around.

See with your heart and it will change your life.

It continues to change mine.

How about you?