Yesterday, there was no way to avoid talking about Osama Bin Laden’s death with my eight year old. It was all over the TV, the radio, and I knew kids at school would be talking about it. While getting ready for school, Ryder saw a baseball game highlight on TV featuring the crowd shouting “USA! USA!” He wanted to know why they were doing that. Dang, I thought. I had not prepared for this conversation. But I jumped in, fumbling my way through and tiptoeing past the scariest details.
Me: “Uhhh….welll….you might hear about this at school. There was a guy named Osama Bin Laden who was one of the meanest people in the world and now he’s dead. And a lot of people are really glad he’s gone.”
Him, jaw dropped: “Wait! Is he the one who shot Abraham Lincoln!?”
Me, after giggling: “No, that was another guy a long time ago. Remember how we told you those towers in New York came crashing down after the planes hit them? That was Osama Bin Laden’s idea.”
Him, perplexed: “He drove the planes into the building!?”
Me: “Well, he had other people do it for him.”
Him, shocked: “You mean he let his helpers die in the planes? He didn’t even care about his helpers?”
Me: “Right. That’s how mean he was.”
Him: “Who killed him?”
Me: “Well, some people who work for the United States found him. And even though hurting or killing people isn’t usually a good way to solve problems, they felt like this was the only way to keep him from doing more bad things.”
My deep thinker let that soak in as I wiped my brow. About 20 minutes later, he was very quiet while we drove to school. As I pulled up to the curb, he cleared his throat and said, “Mom, what about that mean guy’s parents? Were they mean to him?”
Me: “I don’t know, buddy, why?”
Him: “Well, I just want to know what happened to his heart…what happened to make him feel so terrible inside that he’d do so many mean things.”
I blinked back tears as he hopped out of the car, blew me a kiss and skipped through the school doors. He’d already moved on to thinking about gym and recess while I sat shell-shocked by his brilliant question – and the unique blend of innocence and wisdom it came from. I so wish I had the answer, little man.
I was kind of wonder the same thing…but would never have put it quite as well as your beautiful boy.
Love and light to you both, Beautiful Liv.
Beautiful… beautiful… beautiful. What great teachers children are!
XO
I wish we were all somehow that smart.
I really think if we wanted to solve 99% of the problems in the world, we should just start talking to children and listening to their questions and answer.
This little conversation was just amazing.
I wish we knew the answer your son's question.
Your kid has so much compassion. That's so great to see. If only the people who are reacting to this in such negative ways could see through his eyes. :]
oh that more were asking those questions
instead of making the assumptions
that craft the ugly and dark things.
Beautiful share, Liv.
-Jennifer
I love this! Children are so full of wisdom and so connected to the things that truly matter.
And it's conversations like the one you had with your son; the people posting similar feelings and thoughts online; that give me hope and help me believe in the pure, radiant beauty of the human soul.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so much! I'm touched that this has struck a chord with so many of you. Whenever I write a post like this, I never know if it will ring true and resonate deeply with others. I think it's so lovely that this one has.
Your eight year old is right on. Love him.
Thanks to Jen @ My Smiling Heart,
for linking me to this blog.
"Children Say The Darnedest Things," Art Linkletter, simply and with truth and honesty.
And a little child shall lead them.
God Bless..ME and the Boss
http://jensmilingheart.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/how-osama-bin-ladens-death-taught-me-more-about-myself/
i learn from my littles every. single. day.
and i just learned from yours too.
thank you beautiful friend for sharing.
oxoxox
k
What a wonderfully sweet boy you have, I would have been blinking back tears too xx It's funny how it takes such innocence to help us look a little deeper into the world around us.
Thank you so much for this post….it really touched my heart, and I included that fact in one of my own blog posts.
Best,
C.A.