The following poem was written by Rev. Masyn Evans-Clements, and read during worship on the third Sunday of Advent, December 15, 2024.
Childlike Joy
When I think of children, I think of joy.
Jude Gamble tells some jokes at Plum Pudding Festival
Unfiltered,
Unhindered,
Unrestrained.
Joy comes so naturally to children;
Given even the slightest opportunity,
They will find joy:
In silly faces and sounds, and in games.
And just when you think they’ve had enough,
They always shout “Again!”
Once you find out what they think is funny,
you’re willing to do it a thousand more times
Just to hear that belly laugh one more time,
Even if you look ridiculous in the process.
Childlike joy sounds like
Laughter,
High-pitched squeals,
Loud singing,
Running feet,
And clapping hands.
Rev. Masyn Evans-Clements rollerskates to The Twelve Days of Christmas (HP Style).
Childlike joy looks like
Sweaty foreheads,
Dirty hands,
Ripped pants at the knees,
And gap teeth revealed in their ready smile.
Children find this joy in nature.
In a ladybug crawling up their arm,
In pulling a leaf off a tree,
In watching fish swim and turtles go into their shells.
And because they have a fresh perspective,
they can see the world God made clearly.
It’s beauty, which tree branches are perfect for climbing,
And which flowers are perfect for picking.
HP members sit at their tables during the silliest event of the year, Plum Pudding Festival.
And perhaps that’s what we’re missing: perspective.
Over time, we lose our ability to see life clearly.
The simplicity of earthly beauty, human connection, and learning.
What if rose colored glasses just got a bad rap?
What if we put them back on every once in a while
To remember that we can find joy and wonder anywhere we look
If we can change our perspective?
What if we bent down and tried to look at the world
From a child’s point of view?
What would we see?
What would we feel?
What would we care about?
May you find your rose colored glasses.
May you gain a fresh perspective.
May you feel childlike joy again.
