All babies are beautiful …

June 15th, 2012 § Leave a Comment

Ed – “He’s beautiful.”
HI – “Yeah, he’s awful damn good. I think I got the best one.”
“I bet they were all beautiful. All babies are beautiful.”
“This one’s awful damn good.”
“Don’t you cuss around him.”
“He’s fine, he is. I think it’s Nathan Jr.”

A small sampling from one of many memorable scenes from Raising Arizona. Love Raising Arizona. I’ve probably seen it a dozen times. It still kills me. Granted, it’s not for everyone – definitely strange. You either love it or hate it. If you haven’t, give it a watch. See on which side you fall.

In the scene, Ed (Short for Edweena. Turn to the right!) declares, “All babies are beautiful.” Well, you and I know not all babies are beautiful; I’ve seen my share of less than attractive babies. So, is Ed wrong? Is she being overly exuberant? I wonder. Maybe, Ed here’s got a point. Maybe the beauty she speaks of is a different kind of beauty.

H.I. her parolee husband is confused. He’s fixed on the more traditional beauty. Outward beauty. The kind that goes straight to comparison. “I think I got the best one” or the most beautiful. Measures and judgments are required. “This one’s awful damn good.”

I want to see as Ed sees. Think with me for a minute. Think about very little children. Let’s take for instance how trusting they are. Even though they hardly know you, they’ll give you their hand and expect you to help them. They will without hesitation ask. And tell you without the fear of judgment their weaknesses: “I’m scared”, “I can’t do that.” They will believe what you tell them. Santa? Sure. Tooth Fairy? Yeah, why not? If Dad says so. Isn’t trust a beautiful thing. And consider, these are but a few examples from the one category of trust. What about their honesty? Or how quick they are to forgive? And have you noticed how free they are of judgment? And on, and on.

In my last post I suggested that we as fathers need to search and discover our children’s greatness. We need to do this so that we can call them in truth into who they are. I think the search begins with little children. With them we get a clue as to who they were meant to be. And it is these little ones who inform us where true greatness lies – what real beauty is.

I agree with Ed. All babies are indeed beautiful.

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