Ask The Hard Questions

It wasn't all that long ago that I asked, rhetorically of my son, "Who told you that you could grow so big?" A simple enough question I've heard uttered aloud on numerous occasions. I was not prepared to receive an answer, however. My daughter, in a perfectly casual, nearly off-handed way said, "God did, in his heart." Such an amazing answer I couldn't do anything but sit there in awe.

I don't make a habit of posting religious items. For that matter, for the last nearly 6 months I haven't really posted at all. ;) But matters of faith have been in the forefront lately for me and I've started wondering if I'm missing the not-so-subtle nudge to start speaking out more. Tonight provided further fodder.

My daughter's bedtime routine hasn't changed substantially. We put on PJs, brush teeth, read books, snuggle, and finally turn out the light. I tuck her in and then wholeheartedly offer: "Good night, sleep well, God Bless you, I'll see you in the morning." There are nights where we have some discusson on how many books we read, how much snuggle time is allowed, not being ready for bed, etc. Tonight there were no arguments; she was on top of the routine.

We brushed teeth, put on PJs, picked out books, and read books as normal with my daughter keeping track of what we had done and what was next. She had picked out 3 of the Golden Book books from the collection on her shelf: I Love You, Daddy, The Little Tugboat and The Story of Jesus -- arranged into that order. None of them were new or strangers to the bedtime routine.

After finishing the books my daughter chimes in with, "Let's turn out the light and talk about after Jesus died. OK, Daddy?"

Um... woah. Wasn't expecing that one. "Sure. What about when Jesus Died?"

I can't do the conversation justice, nor does my gramatical sense stay out of the way enough to be able to faithfully reproduce it here. What I did come away with was the thought that I need to call a good friend (and Priest) to come have a better conversation with her. We touched on subjects from how Jesus was conceived, born, why he died, where he is now and even a little on Heaven and afterlife. Nothing like asking the easy warm-up questions first.

If there's anything from what happened tonight that I would emphasize it is simply this: I hope that people never stop questioning items of faith, that we can approach the questions, no matter how hard, with an open mind and search for answers even if they remain beyond our reach.

My daugher has started on this path, and for that I am grateful. May I never stand in her way.