'Nana, can't you hop?'

Bringing a spiritual perspective to daily life

We were visiting Disneyland with our families. I was holding the hand of my 5-year-old great-granddaughter, McKenna, who was hopping up and down. Suddenly she said to me, "Nana, can't you hop?"

That stopped me for a minute. When did I last hop? With that, I took her hand, and we began hopping down the street. I hadn't thought about hopping since my son was a child.

The day went on, and we enjoyed many rides and did a great deal of walking. I felt so full of energy.

I was enjoying Disneyland from a 5-year-old's viewpoint. The spirit of youth had taken over. This reminded me of a Bible verse: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isa. 40:31).

This renewal of energy - what was it? Where did it come from? I could remember times of working around the house or the garden and getting very tired. I was not thinking of this day as a duty or work, but as a happy, fun-filled day with the family. I realized that this consciousness of joy was giving me strength and energy.

Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of this newspaper, wrote several books about life as spiritual, and of God governing our actions. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" she wrote: "Mind, joyous in strength, dwells in the realm of Mind. Mind's infinite ideas run and disport themselves" (page 514).

This childlike spirit that runs and hops and expresses so much joy is ours. Why not expect to do any task with the same expression of joy? There is no age limit to prevent this from happening.

I reflected on these ideas for some time and tried to embrace them in whatever I did. It was wonderful how effortlessly I did my housework and gardening without being tired. When our thoughts are on God, Spirit, His joy fills our day, and we can hop, or whatever, without restriction.

Jesus loved childlikeness. He pointed this out when he said, "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein" (Mark 10:15).

Children's lives exemplify ageless being. Children have no fear of growing up or growing old. Their innate innocence and purity protect them, and no matter what our age, we can tap into our own innate innocence and purity.

How often do we hear about the limitations of age, and when someone will be hitting the "big one" - whatever that number may be?

The idea of ageless being provides the perspective that shows all of God's creation as continuing to progress. Mrs. Eddy wrote, "God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis" (page 258).

McKenna helped me see myself as free, and any one of us can experience this freedom. - whether or not you're currently hopping.

Never record ages.
Chronological data
are no part of the vast forever. Time-tables of birth and death are so many conspiracies against manhood and womanhood.
Except for the error
of measuring and limiting
all that is good and beautiful,
man would enjoy more than threescore years and ten
and still maintain his vigor, freshness, and promise.
Man, governed by immortal Mind, is always beautiful and grand. Each succeeding year unfolds wisdom, beauty, and holiness.

Mary Baker Eddy