…[I]f they are worse in many ways than we are, these people . . . are better in others, blessed with an ugly innocence.
— Gene Wolfe, Claw of the Conciliator, Chapter VI: Blue Light.
Staying innocent is something all too often exalted among people. The blessing of staying innocent is the gift of having a child-like spirit for the length of your days. The problem is that sometimes this kinderspirit causes people screw up, and because of this innocence they don’t realize it. They have been blessed with an ugly innocence, because while it may be crude and offensive to others, it’s still not done with malice, not offensive to the doer. Think about your ugly innocences: what are those things which you’ve taken for granted to do (or not do) until you realize that what you’ve been doing is actually offensive in some way? What effect does that have in how you relate with people?
