My daughter lost one of her baby teeth and wrote a letter to her Toothfairy last night. My initial thought wasn’t one of a dismissal, but a response that I would need to do. Until I read it, when she was firmly in bed with her letter under the pillow.

‘Dear Toothfairy,

I hope this writings is small enough for you to read. I hope you think my tooth is clean enough, I brushed it really well for you, I have two other wobbly teeth on the way. I think those are my last baby teeth. I’m sorry you didn’t get my last tooth because I accidentally lost it. I have a few questions to ask you:

Qestion 1: WHat is your name?

Question 2: What is it like being a tooth fairy?

Question 3: Do you ever get tired doing your job?

Please answer here….”

I was afraid that she would recognise my writing, so I typed up the response for her. I didn’t want her letter to remain unanswered and I dint want to say, sorry darling, but ….

If only all humans could always stay this innocent. I adore my children but sometimes I forget that I also need their imagination. As humans and adults, we are victims of our constant desires and dissatisfaction. The world is full of negative emotions, starting with politics, social media, environmental crisis and everywhere around us. 

We should learn more from our children. No child gets born with bad thoughts; they are learned behaviours helped out by the environment around them. And this environment isn’t just the home in which they are born, it is also their school, friends end people with whom they or their parents associate with. Schools often have very rigid, politically and socially correct environments, must follow the government enforced curriculum leaving play and imagination to a bare minimum. Creating a safe and imaginative environment for the children to grow up is crucial in this world. 

Every day, I learn so much from my girls. And yes, we learn and practice yoga together but we aren’t rigid in our schedules. Meditation, although one of the tools, isn’t the only tool to keeping an open heart! 

Dalai Lama’s widely circulated quote: “If every eight-year-old in the world is taught meditation, the world will be without violence within one generation” isn’t the key to happiness. Whilst regular meditation and yoga can reduce aggression and violence, and thus cravings and negative emotions, empathy and compassion considerably minimise the ego. Creativity and imagination too! 

Next time you have things to do and don’t have time to spend with your child, or have an argument about not eating the dinner you cooked, try and look at things as an outsider. And not having your mind distorted by your expectations or learned behaviours – but taking a fresh and not distorted view. You may reach a completely different conclusion. 

You could look at each baby, each child as your private meditation teacher. They can push you to the limit whilst at the same time give you an opportunity to re-asses your views, to let go of your learned behaviours and attachments and accept this normal mirror image. 

So whilst some of you may read this and agree, some of you may mindlessly click ‘like’ without reading it, some of you may read the letter and say ‘But she’s 10!’ I will say Please stay unspoilt, please stay innocent and please live forever believing that tooth fairies exist, that Santa Clause is real and that the world is a lovely place full of beautiful people, full of loving kindness and continual acts of selflessness! 

Grow up but grow up as a child! With an unspoilt mind and a loving and an open heart!