Little Words, Huge Impact
How does a child understand death? And when? Maybe Mike and I shouldn't be so scientific and fact-facing when it comes to such issues and discussing them (well answering her questions) with our child. Today, while sitting in the bathroom, having told me she loves me for the hundred-gazillionth time, this is what she said to me:
"Mom, if you die, I will never see you again. That makes me sad."
Well, my sweet darling, it makes me sad too. Deep down, heart-wrenching sad. First, for the obvious reasons, like not getting to spend another moment with this precious little being, not seeing her grow into the amazing person I'm pretty sure she will be. But for other reasons too. Like the fact that my not-quite-three-year-old understands that death is a permanent thing. And that I was the one to give the okay to introduce her to that fact. Well, I had some help. Thank you Walt Disney and The Lion King, oh, and Bambi, and let's not forget Snow White. I'm thinking now that we should have held off on the whole TV/movie thing until she was at least eight or so. Freaking hindsight!
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