Last week, I was looking after my friend’s 5-year-old daughter, and we ended up in the supermarket buying pet food for my cat, Teddy. In my usual rush, I grabbed a bag I thought suited to my cat’s senior years and headed to the checkout. As we approached the till, the little girl tugged at my sleeve and asked, “Why does the cat food have a picture of a dog on it?”
Last week, I was looking after my friend’s 5-year-old daughter, and we ended up in the supermarket buying pet food for my cat, Teddy. In my usual rush, I grabbed a bag I thought suited to my cat’s senior years and headed to the checkout. As we approached the till, the little girl tugged at my sleeve and asked, “Why does the cat food have a picture of a dog on it?”
I paused, confused, and looked down. She was absolutely right—I’d picked up dog food by mistake. I hadn’t even noticed. My mind had been focussed elsewhere: replaying conversations, and thinking about the things I had to do in the future. Her simple, observant question pulled me back to the moment.
I find children have a way of seeing things adults often miss. Psychologist Alison Gopnik calls children’s attention “lantern consciousness”, as it is broad, all-encompassing and illuminating. I was absorbed in what I thought was more important while my friend’s child was taking everything in. Uncluttered by preconceptions, she was able to view the world with fresh and curious eyes.
This reminded me of a story I’d read in the Qur’an, the book Muslims turn to for guidance. It tells how Abraham, in his youth, looked at the stars with awe, then the moon and then the sun. Each time, uncluttered by preconceptions, he wondered if they were worthy of his devotion. But each time they disappeared, he realised they couldn’t be. His questioning led him to the profound conclusion that his devotion belonged to God, the One who created everything.
It seems to me Prophet Abraham looked at the world with the same curiosity and openness that children naturally possess—finding wonder in the ordinary and asking the simple but important questions. Perhaps this is why the Bible records Jesus, peace be upon him, said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Right now, my cat Teddy is sprawled out next to me, happily enjoying her food. And I can’t help but smile. Sometimes, it takes a child— and maybe a cat – to remind me to slow down, pay attention, and see the world the way it’s meant to be seen: with clarity, curiosity, and wonder.
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