I ran across this today, an e-mail that I had saved from a few years back. I am not sure where it came from or who originated it. But I find it profound:
“Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of babes. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, ‘What does love mean?’
The answers they give are broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
See what you think:
‘When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.’
Rebecca- age 8
‘When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.’
Billy – age 4
‘Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne
and they go out and smell each other.’
Karl – age 5
‘Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.’
Terri – age 4
‘Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and
she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.’
Danny – age 7
‘Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas
if you stop opening presents and listen.’
Bobby – age 7 (Wow!)
‘Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.’
Noelle – age 7
‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who
are still friends even after they know each other so well.’
Tommy – age 6
‘During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.’
Cindy – age 8
‘My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.’
Clare – age 6
‘Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.’
Elaine-age 5
‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty
and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.’
Chris – age 7
‘Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.’
Mary Ann – age 4
‘I know my older sister loves me because she gives
me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.’
Lauren – age 4
‘When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up
and down and little stars come out of you.’ (what an image)
Karen – age 7
‘You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it.
But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.’
Jessica – age 8
And the final one…
The winner was a four year old child
whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman
whose wife had recently passed on.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into
the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
‘Nothing, I just helped him cry'”
Keith Maginn, author 