Above the land and the sea is the sky. Clouds and sun appear in the sky. On the land, trees grow toward the sun, and you grow toward the sun.

While you are at it, beloveds, you might as well frolic on the land. Frolicking will take you to Heaven faster than somberness.

It has been said:: "Be as the little child." What are children like? They are light of heart. No one has to teach children how to play. They have a great sense of Heaven and how to reach it. It is like they have brought Heaven with them. Seriousness has no part in Heaven. And children know that the wide path to Heaven is marked with joy. Even hopscotch on one foot leads to Heaven.

Would that you would return to joy.

How much joy is there in seriousness? Even play cannot be taken seriously. When you become a professional player of the sport you love, it becomes serious, and some of the fun is less. Take other people seriously, but yourself, no. Be the beach ball that bounces high and enjoys bouncing.

When did seriousness gain the approbation of the world, and the value of joy recede? When was joy set aside for special occasions and places? Play is called recreation, yet it is kept separate. Everything else is meant to be serious and sometimes play too. Even raising children, the delight of the world, is made serious. Books are written telling you how to raise children. You are the raiser of your children, you and I. I will tell you how to raise your children.

Enjoy them. Make your delight in your children primary. Hold them up to the sky. Let them squeal in delight, and let your heart swell. Let your children make noise. Give them freedom. Childhood is so short. Let them be children while they are. They will grow up soon enough. Meanwhile, let the magic of their childhood enliven your heart. Let childhood work its magic on you. Make joy be the banner of your heart.

Remind yourself that your children are big souls in little bodies. Respect their joy, for joy is their great wisdom. They would share it with you.

While your body appears under the sky, be as kind to your body as you are to your children. Do not try to make your body fit a mold. Let your body be. Do not always be countermanding it. Improve its joy in being rather than standardizing it. The body is your car. There is no other quite like it. Accelerate your car, but exhilarate your body. Let your body have its say. Do not hamper it. Do not restrict it. Do not punish it. Let it be.

Your body has an image, yet you were made in My image. Your body was not. Go hand in hand with your body, yet know that you precede it. Your body will not reach Heaven. You will.

So, there are children, bodies, and parents. Find joy in your parents as well. Let your parents also be your joy. If you cannot find joy in your parents, then give them joy. Let caring for your parents be a happy responsibility. Let your children see the joy that comes to you from respecting your parents. One day they will be respecting you.

Today we talked about children, bodies, and parents. You are the sharer of hearts. Life in the world is about good-heartedness. Does not good-heartedness take care of everything?