They are dreadfully afraid of Him , if they think of Him at all , which they generally only do when they have been naughty , and they look on all connected with Him as very grave and dull : and , when they are full of fun and thoroughly happy , I am sure they unconsciously hope He is not looking . I am sure I do n't wonder they think of Him in this way , for people never talk of Him in connection with what makes their little lives the brightest . If they are naughty , people put on solemn faces , and say He is very angry or shocked , or something which frightens them : and , for the rest , He is talked about only in a way that makes them think of church and having to be quiet . As for being taught that all Joy and all Gladness and Brightness is His Joy -- that He is wearying for them to be happy , and is not hard and stern , but always doing things to make their days brighter , and caring for them so tenderly , and wanting them to run to Him with all their little joys and sorrows , they are not taught that . I do so long to make them trust Him as they trust us , to feel that He will ` take their part ' as they do with us in their little woes , and to go to Him in their plays and enjoyments and not only when they say their prayers . I was quite grateful to one little dot , a short time ago , who said to his mother ` when I am in bed , I put out my hand to see if I can feel JESUS and my angel . I thought perhaps in the dark they 'd touch me , but they never have yet . ' I do so want them to want to go to Him , and to feel how , if He is there , it must be happy . '' Let me add -- for I feel I have drifted into far too serious a vein for a preface to a fairy-tale -- the deliciously naïve remark of a very dear child-friend , whom I asked , after an acquaintance of two or three days , if she had read ` Alice ' and the ` Looking-Glass . ' `` Oh yes , '' she replied readily , `` I 've read both of them ! And I think '' -LRB- this more slowly and thoughtfully -RRB- `` I think ` Through the Looking-Glass ' is more stupid than ` Alice 's Adventures . ' Do n't you think so ? '' But this was a question I felt it would be hardly discreet for me to enter upon . LEWIS CARROLL . Dec. 1886 . * * * * * AN EASTER GREETING TO EVERY CHILD WHO LOVES `` Alice . '' DEAR CHILD , Please to fancy , if you can , that you are reading a real letter , from a real friend whom you have seen , and whose voice you can seem to yourself to hear wishing you , as I do now with all my heart , a happy Easter . Do you know that delicious dreamy feeling when one first wakes on a summer morning , with the twitter of birds in the air , and the fresh breeze coming in at the open window -- when , lying lazily with eyes half shut , one sees as in a dream green boughs waving , or waters rippling in a golden light ? It is a pleasure very near to sadness , bringing tears to one 's eyes like a beautiful picture or poem . And is not that a Mother 's gentle hand that undraws your curtains , and a Mother 's sweet voice that summons you to rise ?
To rise and forget , in the bright sunlight , the ugly dreams that frightened you so when all was dark -- to rise and enjoy another happy day , XXXXX kneeling to thank that unseen Friend , who sends you the beautiful sun ?
Alice Brightness CARROLL Joy Looking-Glass Mother days first morning woes