Have you ever wondered how someone so young can have such an old soul? I do. All.The.Time. You see, my oldest child, who is still in elementary school, has just such an old soul. His younger sibling is the free spirit of the household. But somehow, both children, in their own special ways, are much wiser than I am at almost forty.
Case in point, two weeks ago, we unexpectedly had to have our 13 year-old female Golden Retriever put to sleep. It was a hard transition for everyone, including the 13 year-old male Golden (her brother). I worried how I was going to explain that she was sick, so sick, and that this was what was best for her to my children. I didn't want to go into the gory details about 'how sick' she really was, but I didn't want to lie to my boys either. They deserved to know the truth, but at the same time learn that death, as life, should be celebrated - especially for a family pet that had lived such a good, long life.
Imagine my surprise when my children were the ones to teach me that lesson. That evening, as we were getting ready to read before bedtime, my youngest asked when our female Golden was coming home. I explained that she wasn't coming home because she was in Heaven and that she no longer hurt - her hips didn't hurt, her heart was young again, and she was running and chasing tennis balls just like when she was a young pup. His comment was, "So, she's dead." Spoken just like a child, right? Blunt, and straight from the heart. But, my older son amazed me when he turned to his brother and said, "But you know, Jesus is up there right now throwing tennis balls to her. She's really quite happy." Ahh...to be young and oh, so wise as to put your sibling's fears to rest in one kind comment.
Later that evening, as I told stories of the dogs when they were puppies, the boys giggled and giggled some more. They continued to ask for more stories, and I told as many as I could remember. Forget that we were supposed to read for school - this was an important day in our family's life together - and for one night, what was it going to hurt to tell tales of our pets as happy puppies?
As my children drifted off into peaceful slumber knowing their dog was being cared for by only the best (yes, Jesus fits that bill, doesn't He?), I quietly crept into my bed to mourn the loss of one of my two 'first children'. As I cried, I remembered all that the boys had said throughout the day and wondered if this was the reason Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me..." Truly, children are the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. For they believe with honest hearts and pure souls that God and Jesus are up in Heaven prepared to take care of us. Whether it be by throwing tennis balls to old dogs that go to Heaven, or making us new again when we return to our rightful places by their sides.
Imagine yourself 20-, 30-, even 40-years ago. What did you believe? How did you see the 'scary' things of life? Did you believe without even questioning that a higher power would take care of everything? Or did you allow fear to replace that faith? I learn so much from my children every single day. I can only hope that they are the Wise men that will help lead me to a stronger faith. I want to once again joyfully believe (without a moment's hesitation) that God and Jesus will take care of me no matter the circumstance.
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