Deep Questions
June 15 2010 “Is Grey Kitty going to die?”
This is what Jedi asked me the other morning. My first instinct was to immediately search for our cat, to make sure he was still in good health. I’m not Kitty’s biggest fan, but we’ve had him for 12 years. We picked him and his brother, which we creatively named Orange Kitty, up as kittens when J and I first moved in together. Orange Kitty passed away a few years back.
“Um, sometime, yes”, I replied carefully.
“What will happen when he dies?”
At this point, I was preparing myself for a grand tale about running free on a farm with all of our other deceased pets from over the years. I thought it might be time for a deep discussion of God and heaven and heavier questions of spirituality and mortality for a 6 year old. I paused briefly, treading lightly into intense territory. I also considered apologizing to Grey Kitty for discussing his death when he was very much alive.
“Well, he’ll go to kitty heaven”, I told him as an initial step. I figured he’d surely have more questions where we could elaborate and delve further into the circle of life.
“OK”, he said in turn. “But what I meant was, if Kitty dies can we get a dog?”
14 Responses
on June 15 2010
LOL
I love the way kids are always, always one step ahead.
on June 15 2010
LOL … always planning. That is hilarious.
on June 15 2010
LOL. Love it. It’s good that you get to save the deep and heavy conversation for later.
We also have a grey and orange kitty! The orange one is a little strange but the grey one is our favorite. Even better than our dog.
Justine’s latest post: This was us 29 months ago
on June 15 2010
Hilarious!!!!! I am really looking forward to my little boy talking (he’s 16 months old). Children are the best! Thanks for sharing this.
mylittlemiracle’s latest post: Wait For Me….Wait For Mommy
on June 15 2010
LOL! That was definitely a conversation that took a turn you weren’t expecting! One of the most valuable lessons I learned when working w/ preschoolers was to stall for time by asking “what do you think?” or some variation of the same. Usually I could get some sense of what they were really asking from their response. But other times they still caught me off guard and left me floundering with the direction their questions would take! Kids…they sure keep you on your toes!
Crystal @ Semi-Crunchy Mama’s latest post: Outdoor Challenge Monday {Gardens and Earthworms}
on June 15 2010
Maybe Jedi can use the force and turn Grey Kitty into a dog?? =>
Stacia’s latest post: The Hand-Off
on June 15 2010
It sounds like Jedi isn’t Grey Kitty’s biggest fan either. We have a cat like that here who is also 12.
Marilyn’s latest post: An Interview with my Son
on June 15 2010
LOL I just love Jedi!!!
Candace’s latest post: i suck at blogging, yo
on June 15 2010
This made me smile. My Big Boy has just started asking the Big Questions, but, just as often as not, the meaning behind the questions is a bit different than I thought. Ahh, out of the mouths of babes!
Kristen @ Motherese’s latest post: Life After Yes, Chapters 23-33
on June 15 2010
Always seek clarification – smart boy, thinking ahead
on June 16 2010
Ah, the resilience of children. My daughter once did the same thing–was already plotting her next pet before the demise of the current one. I told her that Harryboy has a few more years in him!
TheKitchenWitch’s latest post: Veg-Head Tuesday: The Spectacular Shroom
on June 16 2010
HA! It never ends up how we think it will, does it? Conversations with kids… endless entertainment
Jen’s latest post: Maggie snippets: Beach Edition!
on June 16 2010
Cute. Love how kids’ minds work.
Charlotte’s latest post: My Mind is Fixated on Making Birthday Cakes
on June 17 2010
When I was young, our cat was named “Mama Kitty.” Also quite creative, like your Orange Kitty. And my first word was kitty. Thanks for making me smile, thinking about this.
Eva @ Eva Evolving’s latest post: Remember the Ps (and battling squirrels)