Sometimes the child in us needs all our attention.

When we speak of listening with compassion, we usually think of listening to someone else. But we must listen to the child inside us. Sometimes the child in us needs all our attention. That little child will emerge from the depths of our consciousness and ask for our attention. If we are attentive, we will hear his or her voice calling for attention. At that moment, instead of paying attention to whatever is in front of us, go back and tenderly embrace the perfect child within. 

We can talk directly to the child with the language of understanding, saying, “In the past, I left you alone. I went away from you. Now, I am very sorry. I am going to embrace you.” You can say, “ I am here for you. I will take good care of you. I know you have suffered so much. I have been so busy. I have neglected you, and now I have learned a way to come back to you.” If necessary, you have to cry together with that child. Whenever you need to, you can sit and breathe with the child. “Breathing in, I go back to my child within; breathing out, I take good care of my  child within.”