10 comments

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  Rick_Juliusson

  8 months ago

  Beautiful article - thank you Lucia. When our oldest first got obsessed with asking about death, I was amazed how easy it was to slip into a religious answer that's not what I believe. I personally don't believe that there is a place called Heaven where we all happily live together, but that was sure the easiest thing to explain to him. I soon explained that some people like Grandma believe that; others like me believe that people's energy/light lives on in us.
  
  It was comforting to realize that i was the only person uncomfortable with the topic - as with anything, our kids just work with the info to the level they're ready, then let it surface again later with a different depth.
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  Storyteller

  8 months ago

  Rick, I love the way you explain how children process spiritual concepts, I think you're so right. Thank you. This confirms to me its never a waste to start talking about these things young.
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  DanielleLaPorte

  8 months ago

  Gorgeous, as always. My kid was obsessed with death for a while, at about 3 1/2. We teach him a model of re-incarnation and multi-dimensionality - or I should say, he teaches us. He's been talking about other times when he "lived where it was very hot" or when he "was a baby sister" since he could speak. My favourite death question ever: "Mama, if dogs get re-borned do they get to bring their fur with them?"
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  Storyteller

  8 months ago

  Do they get to bring their fur with them! haha, best line I've heard all week! I would say, "Yes, dear, but in heaven, they don't shed!"
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  MoJo

  8 months ago

  Darn it all Lucia. I'm crying at Starbucks again. I have to remember not to read your stories in public (I'm getting a reputation as the crazy lady at the local coffee shop). My daughter has been delving into the death topic a bit lately too - it has been a lesson in simplifying my thinking about it, to help explain the best I can. Thanks for the story...
  M xo
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  Storyteller

  8 months ago

  Always a pleasure to give you salty coffee, Mojo, lovely woman.
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  EcoDiva

  8 months ago

  Lovely. Absolutely lovely. And, yes, I'm crying too. Boy, 3 year old really bring out those questions and where or where do we get those answers. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story.
  
  My 3 yr old as well has asked these questions since words came to him (Before the age of 1), and nature sure does provide opportunity to answer them.
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  Storyteller

  8 months ago

  Your son started asking about death before the age of one? Wow. A profound soul in that little body. How amazing children are. My sister took her daughter to our Dad's funeral, open casket and everything. I was shocked but I watched the 3 year old be shaken, curious, process, grieve and then move on over the course of time and it was so natural and so honest. In hindsight I think it was a much better choice than trying to explain why Nonno wasn't coming to visit her anymore.
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  EcoDiva

  8 months ago

  What a powerful experience for a 3 yr old. I remember attending my first funeral of my aunt at the age of 12 or so...and all my sister and I could do was cry harder than any other time in our lives and then look at each other and laugh uncontrollably. What intense emotions...I don't know what our relatives must have thought. But it made perfect sense to us.
  
  The questions from my son have certainly gotten more complicated, but yes, he is a sweet old soul that see all and asks questions that make us stop and rethink the way we see the world. As long as we are age sensitive, we try to be direct and honest in our answers.
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  Karen

  7 months ago

  simply beautiful and touching, Lucia.
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