"Un Jour, Un Enfant": Protecting the Innocence of the Child

Filipinos are well known to be child-loving. It is reflected on their devotion to the Holy Child of Jesus and it’s expressed through religious festivals in different parts of the Philippines. Every October, the National Children’s Month is celebrated as mandated by Presidential Proclamation 267 issued by then President Fidel V. Ramos. Even local child star Ryzza Mae Dizon rose to stardom by capturing the hearts of the fans, both children and adults alike, through showing her wit despite her innocence. Truly, the fondness for children by the Filipinos is never questioned.

Last March 4 was the birthday of the musician Paul Mauriat, best known for his instrumental cover of the song “Love is Blue” and his work titled “El Bimbo”. He had also done other beautiful instrumental songs such as “La Decadanse”. But when I searched for his other works that day, I was surprised to know that he did an instrumental cover of the song “Un Jour, Un Enfant”.  This contemplative music rings a bell to some Filipinos, especially those who lived in the ‘80s as this was part of the lazy Sunday afternoon habit of watching television.

I can vividly remember that this song was used as a score for crying scenes in the now-defunct local drama anthology “Lovingly Yours, Helen”. Its luscious orchestration can move even the hard-hearted to tears despite the absence of lyrics. Its powerful arrangement made me curious and further researched for the details of the song. One of the four winning songs in the Eurovision Song Contest 1969, this French classical ballad composed by Emil Stern and penned by Eddie Marnay describes the wonders of the world from a child’s perspective. Below are the song’s lyrics titled ”Through the Eyes of a Child” in English and the video of France’s representative to the said song contest Frida Boccara rendering it.

The wide eyes of a child look upon a world reborn

See the glory of a rose that never bears a thorn

The wide eyes of a child can invent a laughing moon

And the orange sun leaps high just as a floating toy balloon

He clearly sees the flower and the bird

Whose thoughts he knows without needing any word

And any child can hear ringing laughter from a stream

Hear the music of the heart, to us a half-forgotten dream

In sleep he hears the star’s distant song

Oh, may its wonder last for his whole life long

If we had vision too, as we stumble on our ways

We could sometimes see our days as through the eyes of a child

This song is reminiscent of two of my more memorable experience with the recent visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines, both happened during the Feast of the Holy Child. First is when I read the news about what happened during the Pope’s encounter with the youth at University of Santo Tomas that morning. He was moved to hug a tearful abandoned girl to comfort her after she asked why God allows children to become prostitutes. 12-year-old Glyzelle Palomar wept as she asked the Pope: “Many children get involved in drugs and prostitution. Why does God allow these things to happen to us? The children are not guilty of anything.” This question made me cry as she should have been protected in the first place but her innocence was already taken away. He was so touched by the girl’s appeal that he abandoned his pre-prepared speech in English and instead responded to the child in Spanish, his native language, and mentioned: “She is the only one who has put forward a question for which there is no answer and she was not even able to express it in words but rather in tears.”

The other one is during the concluding Eucharistic celebration held as Luneta Grandstand that afternoon. I participated as a member of the 1,000-voice choir. Pope Francis cited a verse from the Gospel that strikes me: “Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Mk 10:15). Known for his mercy and compassion, he stated that “God created the world as a beautiful garden and asked us to care for it”, which for me includes children. “But through sin,” he continued, “man has disfigured that natural beauty; through sin, man has also destroyed the unity and beauty of our human family, creating social structures which perpetuate poverty, ignorance and corruption.” Recognizing the child’s vulnerabilities, he said: “We too need to protect, guide and encourage our young people, helping them to build a society worthy of their great spiritual and cultural heritage. Specifically, we need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished and protected. And we need to care for our young people, not allowing them to be robbed of hope and condemned to life on the streets.”

Now that children in today’s society are facing problems, ranging from parents’ authoritarian approach in raising them, to child labor and pedophilia that are prevalent in some areas, let us protect their rights for them to establish good self-identity and become productive citizens of this country.