Life, Death, George Washington and Elvis, And My Eldest Son

   Today we learned that one of our neighbors passed away last night.  It wasn’t one of the many we know well, but we have seen her puttering around her front yard, and she enjoyed the kids coming around decked out for Halloween every year.  I’m told, though, that she was very ill and lonely. 

   Eldest Son, however, has started to notice a lot of death recently.  As he plays a lot with the lady (I’ll call her Mrs. K)’s next door neighbor kids, he’s met Mrs. K and knew her a little bit.  So I was cautious in approaching the whole thing, and we sat down to talk. 

   The kids he plays with are very religious.  Not in a particular faith I’d follow either.  However, it’s been a very interesting open door for us to hold such conversations with him.  He insists on saying grace at dinner, and prays for us when we’re ill.  I’ve found that while I don’t agree with all they teach him, there is quite a bit that is very basic, and that he’s been asking for since he was an itty bitty.  Today, while talking to him about Mrs. K’s passing, his little belief system came to surface again in such sweet ways.

   See, when his little friend at school passed, he was unable, until Relay, to do much to make his heart feel better about it.  As soon as I got the call that Mrs. K had left us, I knew what to do.  I explained that the neighbor we’d seen the ambulance take away (a week ago to the day) had passed on… that she had been very sick, and very lonely, and that I know it sounded strange, but that it was likely for the best for her.  He was quiet, so I told him that we could go get some flowers and put them at her doorstep so when her family comes by to tend to the house, they can see that someone cared.  That got a smile.  Then he piped up with, “Besides, now she can say hi to God!  And she’s probably meeting some very interesting people, like George Washington and Elvis!” 

We talked a little about how people die all the time, and that it’s part of life.  We touched on the fact that Daddy and I plan on sticking around for a long time, but that things do happen, and we would rather he not mope around too long, but to get out and live his life, and celebrate ours.  He smiled again, real big, and said, “Mom, I don’t want it to be any time soon, but if for some reason you do die, please make sure you say hi to Grandma for me.  Tell her I miss her and I love her.”

Its weird how grown up that little crazy wild child is.  He’s always been an old soul, and sometimes it catches me off guard.  But what a heart that kid has.