Learning about the five senses is in a way a very personal thing, for it involves igniting and being encouraged to unearth who you are and to be excited about that. If the person encounters self-hate, they may well find that they are only able to partially tap into their own resources, from deep within them. For many, it has been their experience of getting into trouble whilst showing their inquisitiveness and curiosity, so for them it will need re-igniting in a safe place where trust has been forged. However for most children, they will jump at the opportunity to passionately look deeply at their world and get excited about it, without shame or guilt. Of course, everyone needs to learn to harness these passions and excitement at times, but hopefully not to the extent where they are put to rest.
Take the sense of sight for example. Children are used to seeing things on a screen, but how many are able to spot a bird in their natural habitat or a ladybird on a leaf in the garden and identify them? Do they know the difference between one species and another? Are they able to read body language and note when a person appears uncomfortable?
Or the sense of hearing. Can they listen when they need to, in order to receive important instructions? Can they hear the sound of silence in a world that is so often giving us constant noise? Can they hear their own voice and delight in live music? Are they permitted to speak and be heard?
The sense of touch has in some places almost become a taboo, yet we need this sense just as much as the others! Do they enjoy receiving and giving a cuddle in a safe relationship? Are they allowed the time to stop and touch a leaf, a flower or an insect? If stroking a dog is deemed therapeutic, how about touching each other by holding hands or feeling the warmth and comfort of being near? Sometimes it is better to use our hands in the home to knead and massage, rather than all those gadgets that are pressed upon us!
The sense of taste is one that gives us a lot of enjoyment, but are we able to provide real, natural and new foods for them to try? Are they able to taste a new food that they haven’t tried before and appreciate it without it being masked by sugar and added flavouring? Are they encouraged to mix and match foods in the challenge of cooking exciting dishes that encourage a healthy lifestyle?
Or the sense of smell. Do certain smells excite them? Do they have opportunities to smell home-cooked food as they open the door or the smell of exhilarating sea air as they approach the sea, or bonfires and grills cooking summer barbeques?
Then there is this sixth sense that many believe we possess as humans. This is something that is not easy to explain with physical sounds and sights, but it is recognising that we are more than mere flesh and blood. Our bodies are possessed by spirits for good or bad and it’s this spirit of… that we tap into at times. Many choose to live their lives by faith and for them, they are not limited to the physical world alone to bring them meaning and contentment in life. We all need to believe in something and the sixth sense can take us there. For me, it has brought me to a meaningful relationship with God. In children, this sixth sense is purer and stronger. Maybe we can learn from them!
Children notoriously get excited about the simplest of things. Young children especially, don’t really need complicated excursions or expensive equipment, they just need a large field to run in, a sandy beach to build their inventions or a lake or sea to jump in and feel alive. Watch them as they play and make up their own world, where maybe they can only be a part of in their imagination now, but when they grow up, if these passions have been flamed and nurtured, this world can become a reality. I wonder how many successful adults planned their inventions and innovations in the sandpit or in a forest around a camp fire?
