Why is it the older we get, the more cynical we become?

Seriously. Why?

You hear people say all the time something to the effect of "Now I'm old and cynical, but you are young and still believe! Stay that way! Stay young and hopeful!"

I hear it from my theater teacher about every other week. I went to the Mission Prep class on thursday and heard the same thing. The teacher told a story about how he was an older missionary with a new companion. They had just met this guy who didn't believe in God, but still let them in his home. They shared a message and then asked if they could come back. The guy said yeah, sure and as they left, this older companion was thinking we are never going to get another appointment with him, he was just being nice. I've seen this a million times before, nothing is going to come out of this. At the same time the younger companion was super jazzed saying we are going to baptize this guy! It's going to be awesome!

At this point, the teacher said to the young hopefuls in the class, if it weren't for the hope and faith of my young companion, this man wouldn't have received the truth. I got a call last year saying he was baptized. Stay faithful and hopeful in the work of the Lord. 

Perfect example. I am not pointing fingers and saying that he was totally wrong in getting older and becoming accustomed to the disappointments of life. Nearly everyone does it. I am guilty. But why???

Why do we remember the heartbreak, disappointment, discouragement that life brings? Why do we let those negative things shape us and our futures? Why don't we remember the tender mercies, the miracles, the happiness, the love, the good fortune? Why don't we become more optimistic and hopeful as time goes on, since we have seen so many good things come our way?

I think that is why it says so often in scriptures to be as little children. 

• Luke 18:17
• 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
• Matthew 18:4
• 4 Whosoever therefore shall ^ahumble himself as this little ^bchild, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
• First Corinthians 13 even states this principle exactly:
• 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
• 12 For now we see through a ^aglass, ^bdarkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
• 13 And now abideth ^afaith, ^bhope, ^ccharity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

• Mosiah 3:19
• 19 For the ^anatural ^bman is an ^cenemy to God, and has been from the ^dfall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he ^eyieldsto the enticings of the ^fHoly Spirit, and ^gputteth off the ^hnaturalman and becometh a ⁱsaint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a ^jchild, ^ksubmissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Fascinating. That is also probably why we are referred to as the CHILDREN OF GOD so often as well.  I want to change. I want to become as a child. Really become as a child. One who believes easily, hopes for all things, remembers the good over the bad. 

I want to be that person who sees the world through rose colored glasses and gets more optimistic, faithful, hopeful as time passes. 

That is what I want to try for. Do it with me.