I love to write. My earliest memories of writing was I was ten years old. I remember writing on sheets of notebook paper and showing my Daddy. He saw I loved writing and he encouraged me by giving me one of his college ruled notebooks, or as I called them at that age, "big notebooks." Being a ten year old child who adored her Daddy, I took pride in the fact he gave me one of his notebooks he wrote in for me to write my thoughts in. Recently I brought the worn blue college ruled notebook to read what I wrote over twenty years ago. The writings were not good, they would not meet todays standards of writing, but they are child like and pure, from a heart that loved God and loved writing.
Now, in my early thirties, I still love God and I love writing. I thought it would be neat to take a stroll through my childhood writings and post them in my "Throwback Writings" category.
The first writing in my big blue notebook was one I titled "Be Good to Yourself."
"Be good to yourself. You will have a happier life if you are good to yourself. Be good to others and treat them with respect. Be good to yourself and others and they will be good to you, even if they are mean to you that doesn't mean be mean to them. If they are mean to you be nice to them and pray for them. See Jesus was good to everyone, even when they were mean to Him. He never chewed anybody out even if they chewed Him out he was still good to them so be good to yourself. Please love everybody. Help the ones in need. Jesus said be kind, treat others like you want to be treated. Be good to others and yourself please."
Today as I sit behind my computer screen, I think how much things have changed since I was a ten year old girl. I am thirty-two and life can be cruel, but life can also be good. My writing style as a ten year old was not good, and it was repetitive, but the heart of the little girl was pure. She cared about people. As an adult, I still do, and I realize how much truth is in that childhood advice, Be kind to others. Even when they are mean to you. That is what Jesus did. He was beaten beyond recognition to the mortal human eyes, and crucified like a criminal when He was innocent and guilty of no wrong, yet before He breathed His last breath He cried in painful agony from a heart filled with love for us, "Father God, forgive them! For they know not what they do."
The world could use more kindness. Be Kind to others.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~Philippians 4:13
Beautiful! And yes, that is very perceptive. I refer not simply to what you wrote now (which obviously is), but also what you wrote at ten. Of course, all of it is very important. But what I find most interesting is that as a kid, you began by writing "Be good to yourself." A lot of times people forget that Jesus commanded that as well. It is implied in His command to "love your neighbor as yourself". If you're not being good to yourself, and love yourself, then what does that imply about how you treat and love your neighbor? So the fact that as a ten-year old you recognized the importance of being good to yourself, and therefore of being good to others as well, is remarkable.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I think you have learned a lot since you were kid, and your insights and wisdom are even more remarkable now. But I have long known that about you, so I have not commented so much on that. But I did wish to comment on that. :-)
I look forward to more writings!
Thank you Mike!
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