Amidst the blur of a spinning room, the only thing I saw clearly was my daughter’s face. Laughing eyes and a huge smile expressed something close to pure joy. I was holding her by the hands as we spun round and round on the dance floor. It was impossible not to smile in return, to bask in the warm, joyful glow of the evening.
Joy is at its best and highest when it is shared. And because children so often experience simple joys with greater frequency than adults, the opportunity to share their joy is a remarkable gift. It can keep us in touch with our inner child. More importantly, delighting in their joys and in them reminds us of the Father’s joy over us, his children.
These joys also overflow into my love for my wife, enriching our marriage. Take this ballroom scene: Because my daughter shares many similarities with my wife, her irrepressible delight and enthusiasm provided a window into my wife’s childhood. I could not have known my wife then, but now, through my daughter’s similarities, I can catch a glimpse. The reflection is not perfectly clear, but because love prompts a desire to know my bride completely, I’m grateful for even these imperfect reflections.
My children have multiplied my joy many times over, and as a result, our joy and love in marriage is also multiplied. The Lord has promised us abundance (cf. Jn 10:10) and children help to make this promise come true.
