The day before Easter, I sent Big C and Sassy to deliver a treat to our newly widowed neighbor. She is a wonderful neighbor and always remembers us and we wanted to remember her this holiday.
After being allowed into her house, Sassy, naturally went running wildly into all the rooms. (I often tell people if I ever want to get a tour of their home, all I have to do is bring Sassy. As I chase her, I get to see everything...quite handy for a snoopy decorator like myself. However, on the downside, I have seen some disturbing stuff--I will save that for another post!)
Anyway, as Sassy was running through our neighbor's house, she was yelling, "Where is grandpa? Where is grandpa?" (Please note: Sassy calls all our elderly neighbors grandpa and grandma. She firmly believes that all white-haired people are here to please and serve...her!) Big C, horrified, tried to reign our little "angel" in. Undaunted, she continued to ask "grandma" "Where is Grandpa? Where is Grandpa?" To which our dear neighbor replied, "He is gone. He is gone to heaven."
Sassy, looking confused, continued to look for "grandpa" when she spotted a picture on one of the end tables. She ran up to the picture and grabbed it and said smugly, "Here he is! Here he is! He hasn't gone anywhere! SEE!" She then went up to our dear neighbor and handed her the picture and said again, "He is here! See!"
Big C told me that he had a hard time keeping his emotions in check. When he came home and shared that story with me, I ugly cried--trust me, it is hideous and should be kept behind closed doors.
It amazes me what little ones come up with and on the day before Easter too. It helped me remember what my focus should be!
8 comments:
It's so hard for little ones to understand death. Did Grandma hold it together?
2busy....I asked Big C the same question. He believes that she is all-cried-out. She just smiled and was very patient. Her husband lingered for a few weeks and it was horrible the last couple of days....So, she has cried a lot and is now recovering and rebuilding.
I'm going to make you start supplying the Kleenex at my house if you keep making me cry!
I think that it is a sweet reminder in two different ways.
1--Grandpa ISN'T really gone, at least not forever. She has his memory now, but she will be with him, literally, in the future.
2--Sassy has her moments--a lot of them when she might not seem so very sweet. (This blog is evidence of that.) However, she IS an innocent little girl who probably understands more of things eternal than we give her credit for. I think that might have been difficult in the moment, but "He IS here! See!"
That is a sweet story. I know the "ugly" cry, that's the cry I favor.
Gracias DellP....I appreciated your comments.
My kids have been lucky enough to know 3 of their great grandparents. It has been awkward a few times when one forgets and asks where one of the grandmas are...but they are young and I appreciate that they are interested and care enough to ask. Q asked once if grandma would come and visit again when she woke up...
That is too sweet! Maybe that is why the Savior just loves the little child, it is their faith.
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