I'll give you a hint:Germany
World War II
Yesterday was his birthday (I only know this because it is the same day as one of my good friends).
It is Adolf Hitler as a baby.
I was so taken back when I saw this picture-- because he looks SO cute. At this point in his life he could have been just like Asher. He was pure, innocent and had all the potential for good. You'd never guess by looking at this picture that this baby would turn out to me one of the most evil and twisted men in the 20th century.
I've been AMAZED that since I had my own baby, I have felt a huge amount of love for all babies and children. I feel like I have been given such a great gift of love for all of God's children. I find myself looking at adults I meet on the street and imagining them as babies. I imagine some woman holding and loving them, I imagine her looking down at them as they smile and laugh for the first time, I imagine her singing them lullabies, and I wonder if she would be proud of the adult they have grown to be.
This way of thinking has really changed my perspective on life. I realize, more than I ever have before, that each and everyone of us started out with the same goal. We left the presence of our Father in Heaven totally excited and ready for our mortal test-- with the goal to lead good lives, return to Him and become like Him. Yet SO many of us get lost and confused along the way. So many of us are NOT going to make it back.
That completely breaks my heart! I feel much like the Sons of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon of whom it was said:
"... they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endue endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. " (Mosiah 28:3)
It is almost more than I can bear when I think about a child being separated from his parents for eternity. About loosing any child.
I'm not trying to make any excuses for Hitler or to make him look any better than he was-- he was a evil evil man. Yet, seeing his picture this week just really made me reflect on the pain that our Father in Heaven feels when his children make wrong decisions. I remembered how much he loves each and every one of us, and that we ALL have the same potential to be like him. This knowledge has given me a greater resolve to help Him in his work, to make sure that not one human soul perishes.
2 comments:
i have similar feelings when i see little children and adults. just looking at myself and my siblings, knowing the choices we are making every day or have made in the past i often wonder if my parents knew we were going to turn out the way we did when they held us as little babies. what dreams and hopes did they have for us? so when i look at my children sometimes it's hard to realize that one day they will make their own decisions and they may not be what we as their parents hope for them. judging from how i feel about that i can only imagine how heavenly father feels about our decisions, especially the wrong ones. it's so sad sometimes.
the other thought i often have is about evil people taking advantage of little children and babies. how could they???? i do not understand that. it makes me very sad and sick to think of any adult hurting a little child in any way, let alone in a sick, demented way. this is the most evil thing there is out there in this world in my opinion.
Your thoughts are deep and moving, Darling. I have a greater compassion for the man on the street in reading your words...it is so striking to see Hitler's baby picture and to realize that at that age, we all share something of the same identity...divine potential...which rests completely in the hands of humanity ")
I love you so much,
Mommy
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