Eli’s family celebrated his day of baptism on Sunday. Besides being a day to share food and conversation with my children, grandchildren, and the extended family, I felt a deep meaning to the ceremony at the church, where Eli’s special day began.

It’s been a while since I went to church. I used to go there quite often when my children were little, yet over the years, as my family left school and started lives of their own, the need to visit church for their benefit came to an end.

The church where Eli was christened on Sunday is the same church where my two youngest children were christened, and where all of my children had their first Holy Communion and Confirmation.

I enjoyed visiting the church again, even though I didn’t know the priest. He was quite an elderley man and when he read the passages from the bible his voice took on a singing tone, which at first I found prevented me from understanding his words. It only took a few minutes though for me to get used to his sing-song tone and I relaxed into absorbing his message.

It hadn’t been pre-planned, but he involved the other children in the service as well. Braxton and Aurora held the book for him to read from, and he draped a sash over their outheld arms to carry to Eli. Braxy seemed quite shy at first, but after Aurora grasped the idea that they had been given special responsibilities, they took their role very seriously.

For me, it was meaningful to see the next generation of my family taking part in a church service, just as my own children once had. It surprised me when I realised I felt that way too. I’m not Catholic, yet I found everything about the service for Eli’s baptism to be extremely meaningful.

The message the priest delivered calmed me in a way that I haven’t felt in a long time. He suggested that adults might like to consider being more like children. To clarify, he explained that he wasn’t suggesting adults should act in an immature way, but suggested they might like to try viewing the world through the innocent eyes of children.

The priest’s message made so much sense to me and I believe it is the reason why I felt so calm, listening to him deliver his message. Adult minds are far too cluttered with conflict and problems, especially these days. If you remove the noise of the world from your mind, you are able to view the world as a place of beauty, which is the same way that children see the world.

The priest’s words acted as a poignant reminder for adults to clear their minds, yet it wasn’t in any way a religious message, nor did the priest insist his message be heard. He asked the assembled adults to take from his message what they wished to take, if anything.

What a beautiful way for Eli to begin his spiritual journey. ❤