Through the Eyes of a Child

How we can see through the bias the blinds us

One year ago, Kim and I traveled back to Durham, North Carolina to meet our first grandchild. Since then, we’ve watched him learn to crawl, walk, make new sounds, and explore the world around him. Spending time with him, I’m reminded again of the humble, innocent, and pure way toddlers experience the world. They see the world around them as it is, because they have no pre-formed concepts of what they’re looking at. There are no filters, just clear, unobstructed sight.

Many philosophers and spiritual leaders have discussed this way of seeing the world when joined with the wisdom gained from experience and reflection. Only when we humble ourselves, letting go of our biases, can we draw upon our inner wisdom to see the connections of each thing to everything else and the deeper meaning this implies. This understanding is essential for moving beyond narrow tribal love, which even the worst-behaving among us can experience, toward a more universal love capable of transforming our world.