This week’s memorable moments weren’t a cracked iPhone, a book, or an iced coffee (I know this is shocking). Instead they were quotes like, “Love is when you like someone A LOT and hugging!” “You haven’t seen the Lego movie?? Then I’ll take you!” “Why didn’t you hang out with me last year?” “Because I was busy and I didn’t used to like you.” “You’re my favorite ever,” accompanied with a kiss on cheek. And just who are the speakers of these charming one liners?? None other than a rowdy group of little first graders at Vacation Bible School.
Ever since I can remember remembering anything, I wanted to be a teacher. I thought if I could change the life of at least one child, then I would be fulfilled. But somewhere around sophomore year of high school, I cheated on my teaching dream and fell in love with writing. I decided writing was the path I needed to pursue. (Hence this blog and my journalism and English double major) And I decided I could always teach when I was older and just never retire. And that still may be exactly what I do.
But, being surrounded by the kindest, happiest, most pure little hearts in this world makes me think I need to head right to my counselor’s office at SMU and figure out what I need to do to add a third major. Every minute I spent with the little nugs, I spent smiling and laughing or trying to make them smile and laugh. Maybe it’s because I have the maturity level of a six-year-old or maybe it’s because it’s what I’m meant to be doing. I’m not sure.
As cheesy as it sounds the fact that they were happy made me happy. And it really was that simple.
And probably even cheesier, I want them all to know how amazing, special, smart, adorable, and incredible they are. I want to see them have confidence and success and I want to be the one who gives it to them. I have this burning desire to give them love, courage, lessons, and most importantly help them to see their irreplaceable value. Because it’s the perfect time for them to learn it and never stop believing it.
Six-year-olds make life simple. To them, love is liking someone a lot. Fountains make them happy as shit. It isn’t fair if everyone doesn’t get a piece of candy. Play dates take the place of dates (or in our generation’s case hook-ups). Mommy and daddy are masters of the universe unless they don’t let you have a soda. Letting them play with your phone, purse, or hair will make their day and they’re amazed by any story you tell.
I want to live like they do. I want to live in a world like they do. They see the beauty of the simple things and it stuns them.
And, the thing is life is amazing. The 6-year-olds know it, but I forget that sometimes. And sometimes it’s easy to forget. It’s easy to be annoyed, pissed off, have a headache, hate your job, or whatever the hill that feels like a mountain is. But they see the opposite; they see the mountain as only a hill. (And it’s probably a hill they can slide down!)
Take Bloomington, IL for example. Probably one of the least glamorous places in the world and yet, get up and see the sunrise over the corn fields in the middle of the country and you will change your mind. It may not be the beaches of Hawaii, the mountains of Colorado, the nightlife of New York, but it’s still amazing. It’s still stunningly beautiful. 
First graders are simple. They take on the world and they find a way to make the world make sense. It may sound clichéd or ordinary, but it’s anything but.
Like the morning sunrise, 6-year-olds give you hope in your day, faith in the world, and they very literally and truly shine.
They are hilarious, witty, charming, precocious, kind, bright lights. They are light.
Mallory McDonald 