What Kids Understand
Two nights ago, we held a non-partisan candlelight peace vigil at church the evening of the presidential inauguration as a way to help calm some of the anxieties and anger people were feeling--whether about the upcoming administration or people's refusal to accept it. In addition to readings on peace and songs about peace, we had a section of the service where we wrote things down on dissolving paper that we wanted to let go of to bring ourselves peace and placed them in a bowl of water for them to dissolve away. Then there were blue cards we could write things down on we wanted to carry with us to have more of to bring ourselves peace. Finally, there were candles we could light. I wasn't sure how much Mira understood, but we brought her because we both wanted to attend. When it came time for the participatory parts, she hopped right up and went straight to the table. I watched as she wrote down on the piece of dissolving paper, "Stop being scared of bad dreams." Why yes. That is exactly something to get rid of to have more peace in one's life. I was duly impressed. She promptly placed that in the bowl of water and went back over to the table and grabbed a blue card. She showed it to me when she was done. It read, simply, "LOVE." Again, I was amazed at her ability to cut to the heart of things. I, too, would want more love if I were to be at peace. Then we lit our tealights and sat down. At the end of the service, she ran to the table and pronounced that she had more things she needed to write down, and proceeded to include, "Stop thinking bad thoughts," and "Stop not doing exercise" to the things she dissolved. I know she's already lived a lot of life, but I forget how much kids really understand even at her age. She may not always articulate herself in the way an adult would, but I need to remember to ask her more questions and listen more to what she has to say. There's a lot more going on in there than I give her credit for sometimes, and I would do well to remember that more often.