Searching For Enlightenment

My kids love to chat especially my older boy, the Monkey, age 8. Since his sister started to mumble her fist sprouts of chatter he would HAVE to interupt her budding communication. Her response to this was to just scream in lue of speaking actual words for the first few years. After lunch yesterday we sat down for a lovely bowl of Cookies and Cream / Napolean ice cream mix up and a mellow afternoon chat.

The Bean, age 5, was on the verge of speaking when the Monkey interrupted her by inquiring about going by Morgan & York in Ann Arbor in search of the perfect jawbreaker. He didn’t know the name of Morgan & York so it was a 10 minute conversation of “you know, that one place with the candy”, “that place with the chocolate stuff”, “that place we went to that one time” – you get the idea.

The Bean finally found a lull in the conversation to very sweetly say “excuse me mama”. I reply “yes, sweetie?” She continues ” well mama…… when we all get old we die? We die when we get old? Everybody gets old and dies and then the planet gets old and dies. So, what happens after the planet dies?” Since the topic of death and dying is not new to our house I give my usual answer of “I don’t know Bean”. Then a shock of hope lights through my body that maybe she is young enough that she has the answers to the source of all my anxiety attacks. I ask “What do you think happens?” Hope shimmered in my aura for the briefest moment then she replied “Dunno, mama. ” As she shoveled the next spoonful of ice cream in her mouth I start pondering the big ideas of our existence and the kids troddle off screaming “hey, wanna play adventurer?” “YA!”

I am left with empty ice cream bowls and deflated hope and simmering anxiety. Just another day at the office.

Suggested Book:

Little Big Minds by Marietta McCarty

“Little Big Minds is a guide for any adult to take a child into the world of wonder and awe that is at the heart of philosophy. Children are natural philosophers, and Marietta McCarty discovered through her philosophy program for kids from kindergarten through eighth grade just how eager they are to explore ideas and to use clear thinking to understand and to improve their lives.”