I just finished reading C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy and really enjoyed it. Lewis is one of my favorite authors and the Space Trilogy is a good example of why. He is a brilliant writer who is able to write incredible stories that are full of theological truth. While I cannot get into a full book review now (although I would love to), I do want to talk about a half page that really stuck out to me. If you have never read the books, don’t worry, this is by no means a spoiler.
You should read these
Two characters, Arthur and Camilla Denniston, are having a conversation with another character named Jane Studdock. They live in England and it is, not surprisingly, a foggy day. The Dennistons are explaining to Jane that they love all kinds of weather: fog, snow, rain, whatever it may be. She tells them that she can try to like crazy weather, but, “I don’t think I should ever learn to like rain and snow.”
“It’s the other way round,” said Denniston. “Everyone begins as a child by liking weather. You learn the art of disliking it as you grow up. Haven’t you ever noticed it on a snowy day? The grown-ups are all going about with long faces, but look at the children–and the dogs? They know what snow’s made for.”
“I’m sure I hated wet days as a child,” said Jane.
“That’s because the grown-ups kept you in,” said Camilla. “Any child loves rain if it’s allowed to go out and paddle about in it.”
Snow Skiing is probably my favorite thing to do ever.
I think Lewis makes a brilliant point in this brief dialogue. For some reason, we lose some of that zeal for life that was so prevalent as a child. Maybe it is because we have more responsibilities or because we have lost more of our trust for the world. Maybe it is because we become too worried about what others think or because of some misguided notion that adults just shouldn’t play too much.
I, for one, like the idea of maintaining my youth. I am not, by any means, saying I want to disregard my responsibilities. I do, however, want to live life with enthusiasm. I want to trust God to handle the big things that are beyond me and not spend my life worried. I want the faith of a child. I want to ignore the criticisms of people who are not enjoying life and are therefore prone to criticism of those who are. I want to have fun!
Some of my favorite memories are in the rain (read about the time I fell in love with Morgan here). I still love playing in the snow too. Granted, it is a pain when one gets stranded somewhere without a change of clothes or a tooth brush, but that sort of thing would be amazing for a kid to experience. Life is an adventure, and we have to choose whether or not we will take on the challenges with gusto, or spend our time complaining and rob ourselves of the joy of life.
What do you think? Is it a good thing to take on life’s challenges with the heart of a child?
If you are interested in the Lewis Space Trilogy, you can get them here: The Space Trilogy
