Kids Really Do Say the Darndest Things, Don't They?

By Mitchell

Art Linkletter is one of my favorite celebrities - perhaps the last of the true giants from TV's golden age. He's outlived just about everyone from that era, and although he's in his early 90s he still surfs every day (according to an interview he gave with Larry King a year or so ago). I mean, the man has more energy than I ever had! We were playing the game of Life with Hadleyblogger Gary and his family last year, and the paper money used in their very old version of the game had Art's picture and signature on it. Marvelous!

Now, via WI Catholic Musings (with thanks to Dawn Eden) is the story of Art and his wife Lois, celebrating 70 years of marriage. Hats off to them, for their wonderful witness to Christian life.

What caught my attention in this story was a quote that Dawn singled out as an example of what Art and Lois Linkletter have stood for, and how Art has identified one of the big problems that ails our society. It proves once again that encased in humor is the truth we often don't want to face, and that kids have a better way of illustrating that than anyone. It's the answer one youngster gave Art on his old TV show, Kids Say the Darndest Things:

"I asked a six-year-old boy, ‘If you were going to go to heaven, what would you take along with you?’ And he said, ‘My mother and father.’ I asked him why, and he said, ‘Because I think they’d have more time for me up there.'"

I imagine Art paused after saying that, to let the message sink in. Maybe we should all pause after reading it, and see if it sinks in for us.

Happy anniversary, Art and Lois Linkletter, and many more!