When trying to remember my share in the glow of the eternal

The words of Hermann Hesse, “When trying to remember my share in the glow of the eternal present, in the smile of God, I return to my childhood, too, for that is where the most significant discoveries turn up,” breathe with the fragrance of timeless wisdom. They remind us that the key to eternity lies not in the distant future nor in the anxious striving of adulthood, but in the childhood of the soul, where innocence, wonder, and unclouded vision dwell. In returning to that place, we rediscover the glow of the eternal present—that realm beyond past and future, where the soul tastes truth, beauty, and divine love.

Hesse speaks of the smile of God not as something abstract or hidden, but as a living presence felt in moments of clarity and wonder. To a child, the world is endlessly new; each flower, each stream, each touch of sunlight is a revelation. The child does not seek meaning in power or possession, but in discovery, in play, in awe. In recalling these first encounters, Hesse shows us that it is through simplicity, humility, and openness that one enters the realm of eternity. The smile of God is seen most clearly through the eyes of a child.

The ancients, too, knew this truth. Jesus of Nazareth, when asked about the kingdom of heaven, said, “Unless you become like little children, you cannot enter it.” The sages of Taoism spoke of the child’s heart as the highest virtue, unspoiled by cunning or ambition. And the mystics of every tradition have taught that wisdom is not about gaining more, but returning to the purity of what has always been within. Thus, Hesse’s return to childhood is no mere nostalgia, but a spiritual journey toward the eternal, toward rediscovering that the greatest truths were whispered to us before we could name them.

Consider the story of Isaac Newton. When he saw the apple fall from the tree, it was not simply the fruit that stirred him—it was the childlike wonder within him that asked why. His significant discovery was not born of cynicism, but of curiosity. The same curiosity that glows in every child who looks at the stars and wonders what lies beyond. Newton’s question unlocked the laws of gravity, yet at its root, it was the gaze of a child toward creation. In this, he exemplifies Hesse’s teaching: the path to eternity is paved with childlike wonder.

The eternal present is a mystery that escapes the grasp of intellect but reveals itself in moments of pure being. Think of how a child laughs without thought of yesterday or tomorrow, or how they lose themselves in play until the whole world seems to vanish. In such moments, time dissolves, and only existence itself remains. Hesse teaches that we, too, can touch this eternal present by recovering the child within us, by remembering that life’s greatest treasures are not acquired, but received as gifts.

The lesson for us is profound: do not bury the childlike spirit beneath the burdens of ambition, worry, or pride. When you seek truth, return not only to books and teachers, but to your own childhood—to the memory of wonder, to the purity of joy, to the innocence of trust. In those places, you will rediscover your share in the glow of the eternal, the light that never fades, the smile of God that has always shone upon you.

To practice this wisdom, pause in your daily life and look upon the world with fresh eyes. Walk in nature as though seeing it for the first time. Laugh without fear of judgment. Ask questions without shame, as a child asks. Let yourself marvel at the simple and the ordinary. In doing so, you will find that the gates of eternity are not distant—they open in the present moment, and within them shines the radiance of divine joy.

So remember, O seekers of tomorrow: your childhood is not behind you—it is within you, a sacred well from which you may always draw. Return to it often, and you will find the glow of the eternal present, the light of truth, and the smile of God. And in that remembrance, you will carry eternity within your heart.