Categories: alien
Date: 11 April 2010 10:33:57
I was just reading World Without End’s post which included "Spiegel im Spiegel" by Arvo Pärt. Alien came in while I was listening and she said asked what the piece of music was. I said it was ‘just a nice piece’. She said it was Jesus and said that she needed to pray. She then closed her eyes and put her hands together and started ‘praying’ about Jesus dying and being in a tomb and being alive again! She said ‘Amen’. Then, because the music continued, she said she had to keep praying ‘because it was Jesus’, so she closed her eyes again and put her hands together and thanked God for ‘the surprise’!!
I’ve just asked her what kinds of things does she say to God when she prays, she said that she pretends to talk to princesses too, like praying!!! That somewhat spoilt the magic!
We had an interesting walk in a graveyard this week (as you do!! Actually, we were looking for a Geocache!) She asked what the stones were and why they had writing on them. I explained that they were where some peoples’ bodies were buried deep underground, but that their spirit was in heaven (that’s where someone told her Great Grandad is now, so she had heard of heaven). She asked what a spirit was, and I reminded her what Granny had said about love being something in your heart where you feel someone is really special. We talked about how you couldn’t actually see love, but that she knew I loved her and she loved me. I said that a spirit was a bit like that, the part of a person you couldn’t see. She got the general gist! She was then fascinated by the grave stones and we had to walk around reading the names on them. We had a bit of a talk about how long ago some of the people died, but gave up on that one! There was one we came across from 1600’s which I thought was rather impressive, particularly as it was in such good condition.
I sometimes think that great intellectual boffin type people need to spend time with a 4 year old. Alien is currently asking endless, endless questions about absolutely everything. She wants to know how everything is made and how everything happens. Trying to explain so often makes me think about the little things that I take for granted. Jesus was clearly right when he said we should ‘become like little children’, because her response to so many things is so wonderful. Her questioning, her desire to help anyone who is sad or upset, her simple acceptance of everyone and anyone, no matter who they are or what they look like.