Innocence by Keith Stonehart

A guest post by Keith Stonehart from his blog Keith Stonehart is Dead

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The Passage of Time

I woke up one day and realized I wasn’t as young as I used to be. My youth had been passed down to my children.

Years of poor choices and bad habits had taken a physical toll on my body. Looking into my own eyes, I saw what was left of the young and beautiful person I used to be. I had changed—but I am better for it.

What We Lose and What We Gain

We rarely realize what we have when we are young. Often, it is only in losing our youth that we are forced to dig deep and truly find ourselves.

When we grow older, we lose our youthful looks, which can be hard for most of us. However, we also lose:

• Arrogance (overbearing pride or self-importance)
• Ignorance (lack of knowledge or awareness)
• Immaturity (lack of emotional or spiritual development)

Losing these things is a trade-off, and we are much better off without them.

Finding God and Ourselves

My only real regret is not coming to know God sooner in life. Only in knowing God can you ever really know yourself.

Through the process of breaking my own heart, I finally found Him. Of course, it wasn’t God who was lost—it was me. And I am better for it.

The journey has had its trade-offs, and the cost has been high at times. Becoming a better person always comes with a price. Even so, the rewards have been well worth the trip.

Still, there are times when I look back and wish I could have my innocence back.

Have a great day, everyone!