One of the highlights of the family reunion weekend was seeing my first cousin once removed (had to look that up), Harlem. Harlem is the youngest of my young cousin D’art. I’ve only met her once, over a year ago, so there is no way that she remembers me. When I walked into the room, someone else was holding her and she reached out for me. I took her in my arms and she immediately put her head on my shoulder and just snuggled in. Then, she looked up at me right in the eye, gave me a kiss on the cheek and laid her head back down on my shoulder, all without saying a word.
I love little kids. I love their innocence and their trust. I always pay special attention to them and give them a wave and a smile. They are pure. They are untainted by the world. They look at you and they don’t see old or young, fat or skinny, pretty or ugly, black or white. They just see a fellow soul. A human being just like them that they connect with.
I was feeling pretty special the way Harlem came to me. Over the course of the weekend though I saw Harlem with just about every family member there. In fact, Kayla told me she had reached out to a stranger on the playground. Sadly, we have to teach them to not trust everyone, to not hug everyone. We have to teach them to be guarded. But, they are oh so sweet when they still have that heart of gold.
You will find peace of mind
If you look way down in your heart and soul
Don’t hesitate ‘cause the world seems cold
Stay young at heart, ’cause you’re never, never old
That’s the way of the world
Plant your flower and you grow a pearl
Child is born with a heart of gold
Way of the world makes his heart so cold
