People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10: 13-16)

The first prayer I can vividly recall offering was when I was nine or ten. The precise words are beyond memory and, in any case, I did not speak aloud.

The thrust of the prayer was to keep me creative, to protect me from the dull disciplines of so many adults.

I don't recall precisely what prompted this prayer. My sense is it was nothing especially dramatic but, rather, a recognition of what Thoreau so accurately calls "quiet desperation."

In Walden the author explains, "Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them. Their fingers, from excessive toil, are too clumsy and tremble too much for that."

Neither Thoreau nor Jesus are advocates of careless ease. Each encourage mindful engagement. Both are exemplars of productive, even sacrificial work.

But it is work given over to good purpose and meaningful outcomes. What are the purposes and outcomes of children? Exploring the world, making friends, self-discovery, building tree-houses, making mud-pies, and every sort of playfulness.

Children can be very serious - even earnest - in their play, but they do not mistake it for more than play. I wonder if this is not a big part of the wisdom to which Jesus is pointing.