I’m an observer. It’s what I do. I sit back and take in my surroundings, watching as people go about their lives—their reactions, the way their faces light up or frown, how their lips turn upward or quiver. It’s all part of the story, and I find myself soaking it all in. I’ve raised my sons, watched them go through their younger years with capes, masks, and shields, fully believing they were superheroes. There was a time when they thought they could conquer anything, and it felt like those moments would last forever. But, as is the way of life, young adulthood snuck in before I could even catch my breath, and suddenly, the costumes were packed away. They’d outgrown them, and I was left holding memories I wish I could freeze in time.
Today, I went to my three-year-old nephew’s birthday, where I brought him a cape and a mask—his favorite superhero. I watched him run around, completely unstoppable, and my heart just burst with joy. There's something pure and powerful in that belief, the way little ones think they can save the world. It’s no wonder Jesus loves children so much. To them, anything is possible. They are the heroes in their own stories, and they live like saving the day is not just a possibility, but a certainty.
And as I look back at my own childhood, I didn’t play the part of a superhero but a princess. I’d place on my prettiest dress and beg my grandmother to tie meters of curling ribbon in my hair—long, colorful strands trailing behind me like the flowing locks of royalty. I’d run through fields, picking daisies and dandelions, believing I was the most adored little girl in the eyes of my Heavenly Father. I miss that girl. The one who believed she was beautiful, adored, and precious.
And yet, here I am—an observer of the childhoods many of us have lost. The awe in our faces replaced by memories of the scars we’ve accumulated, rather than the games we once played or the moments when we truly believed we could do anything, be anything, because God created us to be invincible.
So today, I will hold onto the precious memory of my nephew, his cape, and his unstoppable imagination. I’ll treasure that faith in the impossible, the same faith Jesus wants us to have. Because “in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). I wonder, does He long for us to believe with that same childlike wonder again?
love Sarah x
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It's fun to remember what it felt like when I was a kid and most of my play was using my imagination. I was blessed enough to grow up on a farm. We didn't have much money and using our imagination for fun was most valuable! :)
During my childhood, i more saw myself as a princess because i had no other sibling at that time (my first brother was born when i was nine, and my second brother four years after him). I still have that princess personality in me, but i also have developed a warrior personality as well. I remember when my mom sewed Zoro outfits for both my brothers (Ohhhhhh, how much i loved seeing them in those outfits).