Through The Eyes Of A Child

Are any of you familiar with the movie, “The Boy In Striped Pajamas”? For those of you who aren’t, I would definitely recommend it. Also, for those who haven’t and like to be 100% surprised when watching a new movie, I would suggest you wait to read this blog. Consider this your spoiler alert.

For those that are not in the know, this is a movie that is sad and great all at the same time. You come across the two main characters that are children, my guess, about 10 years of age, give or take. One is the son of a Nazi officer that was sent to run a concentration camp and the other is among the Jews that are being held there. One day, the officer’s son wonders off the home property and into the woods that separate the house from the camp. When he finds his way to the perimeter fence, he finds the Jewish boy sitting and hiding. The boy was dressed in the clothes that all Jews were forced to wear there, oversized gray and white striped shirts and pants...much like pajamas. The two form a friendship and make time to meet every day at the fence. Neither understand the purpose of the camp, neither understand that they “aren’t supposed to mix.” As you watch you see the officer’s son observing how the people around him at the house treat the Jewish people differently. He even befriends one of the Jewish men that is assigned to work in his home and learns he used to be a doctor, and yet he spends his whole day now tending to their gardens. These two boys saw each other simply as that...boys...people. They knew they had differences, they discussed them, but they also knew that with or without differences, they had a friendship.

I have known plenty of kids in my life, some friends, some family. And it’s incredible to watch them and see how they learn about the world around them. It’s incredible to get their take on things. Yes, they can be silly and even ridiculous at times, but isn’t there something about their way of being that you wish you could hold on to? I know I do. Don’t get me wrong, growing up definitely has its advantages. It’s what we are all meant to do after all. G-d brings us into this world as babies to find our way to the purposes He’s set for us. But as children, you can look at the world with innocence. You don’t see through eyes of fear. You don’t initially see differences as a reason to fight or hate, you want to understand them. My husband went into an African tribe once, a tribe where they see very few (if any at all) white people. And a little boy, 3 years or so, walked up to him and started rubbing J’s arm with his hand. When the translator asked the child what he was doing, he answered that he was trying to see if he could rub the paint off J’s skin. Till that day, this boy never even knew humans came in different colors.

When we become adults we have to be aware of the world around us and the people that share it with us, good and bad. We find a reason to not trust, to judge, to hide, to hate, and to hurt. We have people waging war over religion. We have leaders that are blinded by their greed and desire for power. We have gang members that are taught to shoot another person if they are wearing the wrong color of rags or clothing. You have members of the KKK that actually claim that the torture and murder they commit is in the name of G-d! It’s disturbing!

G-d created us to be different. He wanted diversity for humanity. Because of it, different people have different abilities and are able to carry out different commands that G-d puts in place for them. People also have different understandings of G-d, different religions and ways of worshiping. Religiously, there are plenty that I don’t agree with, but should it really be a reason to fight, dislike, or even hate? I love discussing religion with people. I love getting their take of G-d and I love trying to see through their eyes. When you open yourself to getting to know a person that way, you can find yourself looking at the face of G-d through them. A good example is a woman that I was able to watch as she read the Torah. She wasn’t just reading the worlds and expressing her interpretation, you heard the passion in her voice. You would even see tears in her eyes at times. It’s as if she was shining with the light of G-d and, let me tell you, seeing that light in another person, no matter what the religion, is so very inspiring! It gave me such a smile to watch and listen and you could actually feel G-d’s presence in the group. You could feel His love and warmth surround us all. There is a pastor that I have heard speak out here before. Religiously, I don’t 100% agree with him but you should see this man go when he is speaking about his beliefs. He talks of the love of G-d and at times his voice will crack and he can get tears in his eyes because of the passion he is feeling. Is it so horrible for people to be different when you can see the light of G-d in them?

The world wasn’t meant to be about separating or changing people. It was meant to be a place where we learn to work together. Where we love and respect each other. Where we embrace what makes us different to help create a working society that we and G-d can be proud of. Instead humans keep finding a bigger variety of ways to destroy each other and this world. I have heard a saying, “Be the change you want to see happen in the world.” Children are born innocent...they are taught to hate and/or destroy. This world will come to an end someday. G-d has passed on teachings of this. But while we are here it’s our job to make the most our time and be as G-d would be and do as He commands. It is what my parents believe and passed on to us, and it’s is what my brother and I took into adulthood and will pass on to the future generations. It starts with the home, it starts with what a child is taught. It starts with what you can pass on. What change would you like to see in the world? What do you want future generations to do and see? And what can you do to make it happen? G-d won’t do it all for us, we have to be willing to take action as well. Will you?