Wednesday, June 29, 2005

The meaning of ...

Rhett playing with his star wars toys at the kitchen table one day recently....

"What was Anikin's Mom's name?"
"Shimi Skywalker " I answer not really paying to much attention but proud of my Star Wars wisdom. I'm a cool Mom!
"Anikin's Mom died in Episode two, didn't she?"
"Yes she did and Anikin was very sad."
"What is died?"
"What does "died" mean?" I ask for clarification and paying more attention now.
He nods his head and asks again "What does died mean?"
I drew a blank. "DON"T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT SLEEP!" I think as I remember my Mom saying I didn't sleep for weeks at age 3 because someone told me dieing was going to sleep and never waking up.
"UH ...UH..... Uhhhhhh" think think think.....
"Dieing is when your body stops living."
He looks at me like I am speaking in Hebrew.

OK Try again.
"Dieing is what happens when all the muscles in your body stop working and you aren't awake anymore. Your spirit is still alive but your body is dead. You spirit keeps living. Because Jesus died on the cross, our spirit, or our souls, can live in Heaven when our bodies die." OH NO! I said something about not being awake...I didn't mention Hell, Does he understand???Yikes!

Rhett gives me an expressionless stare.
"What does died mean?" he asked again, slower this time as he isn't sure I speak English.
"Dieing is what happens when you get shot and you fall down and don't get up" Kolby pipes in.
"Oh, like when you get killed?" Rhett asks.
"Yeah, like when you get killed," his older sister answers.

Here I thought Rhett was asking me to explain death, and all it's deeper far reaching meanings. I was trying to answer the question of heaven, where souls go, and whether someone is really dead when they die. But that is not what Rhett wanted or needed to know. Sometimes I make this Mom thing harder than it has to be. Rhett just wanted to know that "died" means that you get killed. Does he know what getting killed means? I am not sure. But one thing I am sure of, if he asks me, I will be ready....

"What does getting killed mean Mommy?"
"It means she died."

6 comments:

Mae said...

I laughed so hard that I snorted! Too funny... and good try. :)

Beaner said...

Thank you for that laugh today! Just wait until he asks you if all his Star Wars toys get to go to heaven with him! My pat answer has always been "Heaven will have everything you ever wanted there." That seems to work for me - that & the fact that heaven BETTER HAVE Star Wars toys there!!!!

Anonymous said...

For the love of all that's good... when he asks where babies come from, let one of us answer!

jettybetty said...

I had the same thought TL did--however, Kolby could come in handy, too!
Thanks for the laugh! And a look at your heart!
JB

Deana Nall said...

Julia and I had the birds and the bees talk quite some time ago and I had no problem with that. Then a few months ago she asked "What's sexy mean?" I was stumped. I wanted to say it was kind of like being pretty, but I just knew with my luck she would go up to her teacher one day and say, "Mrs. Contreras, you're looking very sexy today." I don't know what I said. I just know the sex talk was much easier.

Susan - said...

Loved that!