It wasn’t long ago when I traveled through my own valley of death. Approximately 6 years ago, when transitioning from the morning of my life into the afternoon, I often sat and pondered…pondering my very existence.

During this time of transition, I found myself studying religious education. One in particular was very powerful, on a spiritual level and more so on a personal level. The story where Christ teaches his disciples and those who will listen, one cannot get to the father without going through the son. In the Christian teachings it refers to understanding God while first understanding Christ. Christ being the son of God, we must first accept Christ and go through him to greet our father.

On a more common level, I’ve accepted this teaching in a much different way. Not dissolving the other lesson but seeing it more literally. As I pondered my very existence, staring at my son, wondering what it must be like to be a father looking down at my son and/or my grandchildren. As I struggle with my own lessons, I look to my son, asking, “what is the meaning of life?”

To my surprise, with such simplicity, and at the early age of five, my son looks to me stating, “we are to live.”

Is that it? Is that all we need to know? Our very existence and purpose on this planet, is to merely live? Simply put…Yes! We can still do anything we want, creating the world around us, but ultimately…we are merely supposed to live. We can have anything, be anything…the possibilities are endless. In the end, we are to just live.

I shared this wisdom with my father, staying true to the lesson going through my son to my father and to my surprise he expressed concern, “I feel bad for you. It’s too bad that you have to take counsel from a child, teaching you how to be a father or parent.”

Smiling, as to truly understand this lesson and feeling so boldly to say I get it. I thank him for his opinion with further expression, “taking counsel from a five-year-old as of 35-year-old, is no different then a 65-year-old taking counsel from a 35-year-old. The difference, however, is at least one of them is open to the others suggestion.”

Stepping into the canvas with openness to lessons of a child. When life is too difficult for us, we can look to professional help, medical advice, or what ever…or we can simply turn to a child, asking for the purest and most simple answer to life’s dilemmas. Often times our dilemmas have simple solutions. If we cannot find the answers, we may need to seek counsel…Dare to ask a child…often times they are our wisest teachers!