In the Eyes of a Child

One time as I meditate in my room, I switched on the radio and one song caught my attention to reflect about the joys of my childhood. The title of the song was “The Eyes of the Child”. Reminiscing my childhood is such a wonderful moment yet sadness begun to sink on my thought as I remember those thousands of children out there in the streets, homeless and in dire need of food, clothes, of care and of love. Sir, pahingi po….. pambili po ng pagkain.. (sir, please give me money to buy food) these are the little voices that we mostly hear in the streets, knocking the glass windows of our cars or simply passing in front of us begging for money. Sometimes we neglect them, we stare at them with furious faces and annoyed with their filthy appearances. What will I feel if I’m the one in their condition?
Now I am with Kuya Center, a temporary home for these street children; I talked, played and shared with these kids. Their eyes speak so powerfully in my heart, in their eyes “there is joy, there is laughter” despite the condition they have, despite the hardship they had experienced. Their smiles are like sweet candies that will lighten up your day; their laughter is like melodious music that touches the soul. In their eyes, “there is hope; there is trust, a chance to shape the future”. They have hopes and dreams. They need a HOME, a venue to realize their dreams, a shelter that they can play, sing, dance and a haven where they can express their being. They want to feel that they‘re loved and cared and to be visited. We were once a child, we knew all these things. Can we let these stuffs be snatched away in their lives?
I listened to the song until its end, and struck more to the lyrics:

“ For the lessons of life there is no better teacher than the look in the eyes of a child. You’ve found the place to walk the path you’ve chosen. You’ll never miss the world you’ve left behind. When life gives life, it’s happiness unbroken. When you give love, it’s love you’ll find.

“Whenever I see a child, I look in his eyes…there I see God.”