Friday, March 9, 2012

Why does the moon shine?


Last night, after gymnastics, Son #1 and I were talking on our ride back home in the car.  He insisted he is a werewolf, and because there was a full moon he was going to "change" into one.  I was tired, and did not play into his little fantasy (or hear him howling to the moon in the car), so instead he began asking me questions.  Son #1 is a questioner.  He comes by this honestly.

Our conversation went like this:

"Mommy, when the moon is full why does it shine?"

Mommy really didn't remember.  I searched in the back of my head and the answer I came up with (WRONG) was this, "The sun is behind it. It makes it shine."

"But Mommy if the sun was behind it we would still see it and it would be daytime."

"Ok, no.  The sun's not behind it, but the sun reflects off of the moon and makes it shine." (This is actually accurate, I believe).

He argued for a few more minutes.  He will make a wonderful lawyer some day, because arguing with him is so frustrating you just end up giving up!

I finally sighed and said, "Ughh...I don't know all the answers!"

In his chipper voice he declares, "That's alright because only one PERSON knows all the answers and that's GOD!"

I smiled and pushed, "Really, God knows all the answers?"

"Yes, but what does God look like Mommy?"

"I don't know," I said. "Maybe he looks like the moon.  Maybe he looks like an old man with a beard.  Maybe he's just a spirit you feel."

"How did God die?" he asked.

So then I told him God was never alive.  I told him he was an entity, and I told him people believe he created the world. We discussed Jesus being born and dying for our sins.  I told him some people believe Jesus is the son of God.  I told him it was up to him to decide what he wanted to believe. 

I peered back into the mirror and his little face was so confused.  He was pondering something. 

And then I receive this back, "I don't get it.  Where did WE come from?  How did humans get here?  It doesn't make sense." 

Existential questions from a seven year old.  Boy, we're going to be in trouble in a few more years.  Hubby pointed out later this would have been a great time for me to talk about evolution.  I could have explained humans evolving from the smallest microplasm.  Instead, I went on to explain about Adam and Eve, because we were already on the topic of God.  I told Son #1 it was a story from the bible, trying to explain HOW humans were created.  I told him it was just a story.  He'd have to make up his mind whether it was true or not.

Then he says, "If a baby was put here first, who took care of it, and where did it come from?  How did it come to be here?" 

Yes, the age old question, "What came first, the chicken or the egg?"

And I said, "Who knows.  That's why some people think the story of Adam and Eve makes sense because two grown people were put on the earth by God."

Son #1, twirled one of his curls, looked at me and said, "I guess it's just a great mystery and we'll never know!"

I told Hubby the story when we arrived home, and he laughed.  He then told me this little gem of a story about Son # 2.

The other day Son #1 and Son #2 were discussing where they want to live when they grow up.

Son #1, no doubt, came up with some far away place like Paris, France.

Son #2 chimes in and says, "I want to live in Alabama!"

Son #1 says, "But Son #2, you already LIVE in Alabama!"

Son #2 says, "I want to be a Street Walker!"

Great aspiration Son #2! 

2 comments:

  1. Well, at least you're creative with your answers! When I'm not sure of how to answer interesting questions, I divert them..."I bet your dad knows that answer" or "Your dad will explain that to you" and he always does...much better than I can. Cute conversations!!

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  2. I use the Dad answer sometimes too!

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