Fairgrounds and Perspectives

I'm beginning to understand this bigger picture thing........ that seems to continue to change with every day and every experience. Last night we took our girls, or rather they took us, to the Cambodian fair. It had bright colorful lights, cotton candy, and popcorn. It seemed just like an American fair ground, except we had thirty something Cambodian girls clinging to our arms like glue. It was the best feeling ever, knowing that they were so proud to be holding our hands. It was as if we were their new toy....that they wanted to show us off to all of their friends. We bought some snacks and walked around, some kids rode a couple rides...but then we ended up sitting on this wall. I was confused at first, because they seemed content sitting on this wall playing patty-cake games than riding these awesome rides. I was thinking in my head.....when I was a kid, and there were rides in front of me....I'd be the first one on. I'd ask my parents for money and tickets and then be on my way. And then this thought popped into my head....these kids don't have that luxury of just asking for money and then being on their sweet little way. So I looked at a couple of the girls I was playing patty-cake with, and asked, "Why don't you ride the rides?" And she looked at me with those beautiful oval eyes, and said, "I don't have money." At that point...I was disgusted at myself for not thinking of that before. I immediately said....well let me buy you tickets. And her immediate response was...."No!" I begged and pleaded, but I received the same answer as the first. So we continued to play thumb war and little hand games...and she kept asking me, "You happy?" And I would respond with, "Yes, I am very happy!" These precious little girls were more concerned with me being happy than themselves.  Even though this fair ground was filled with childish rides...they wanted me to be happy.
So that was it.....I looked at her, and said, "Please let me buy you tickets...that will make me happy." The littler ones were immediately jumping up pointing to this jumping blow up slide. All five of us got up and started running to the slide. And the whole time, the older girl was saying, "No, No, please...I cannot." I walked up to the counter, and I asked how much for four tickets, for my girls. And she looked at me with this peculiar look and said.....four dollars. I smiled, handed her the money and gave each of my girls their tickets. It was as if I had handed them the world in that moment. Stunned, they stood there, not really knowing what to do, when then I motioned to go play. It was like....the kid in them turned on...and they were free. I will never forget those smiles of pure innocence. They jumped and played as if there was nothing in the world that they needed to worry about. And just for a few minutes...they were allowed to be kids.
I must say....it was the best four dollars I have ever spent in my entire life. The Western world forgets how wonderful it can be to actually see a child smile....because we are too busy giving them everything they want. These children were more concerned with my happiness than their own. It is humbling when someone so small can impact and give you perspective on life better than anything else you might find. It is not about getting the newest and best, or having the most. It's not about the cliche ideas that media has implanted in our heads. These kids have taught me things already, and it's this...they have absolutely nothing and yet they wear the biggest smiles, give the best hugs, and are more concerned with my spoiled American happiness than their own. The bigger picture is not status quot and what everyone is telling you it is. Take that picture and throw it away, because what the world is feeding us....is wrong. Peperspectives change when your eyes are unglossed with what society is trying to blind you from. Open your eyes and see the truth that is there.....because it is a beautiful picture.