Raimi’s Thoughts
Kevin and I each pick up and drop off 1 kid each at daycare these days since they go to different centers. I really miss the time with Kinnell and seeing him with his friends and teachers, but I’m enjoying the quiet time in the car with Raimi. He doesn’t always feel very forthcoming, but even then it’s interesting to see how he thinks. And man, he really thinks about things. Two recent conversations:
1. Driving to swimming lessons
Raimi: Mommy, Anna [Raimi's teacher] is really old.
Me: Really? How old do you think she is?
Raimi: I don’t know, probably 150.
Me: Oh! I don’t know… I don’t think anyone is quite that old. What made you say that?
Raimi: I don’t know.
Me: Was she talking about her age?
Raimi: *silence*
Me: Why are you thinking about how old Anna is?
Raimi: Mommy, I’m done talking now.
Conversation #2: After some Christmas shopping, during which we talked about the baby Jesus and nativity scenes and the ways Jews and Christians understand Jesus. [Raimi comes down on the side that Jesus was a great teacher, but also thinks God put a star in the sky and angels celebrated Jesus's birth. It's a beautiful story, so I'm fine with this idea. There are probably angels at every birth. At least that was my experience. Anyway.]
Raimi: I don’t think that stuff about reindeer having a red nose that blinks is real.
Me: Oh really? You don’t think Rudolph is real?
Raimi: No. I don’t believe in that.
Me: But what about flying reindeer?
Raimi. Well that’s real. But also they can’t talk.
Me: Oh, ok. But I heard Santa talking about Rudolph one time, but maybe that’s a story he tells to teach kids not to be mean to people who are different than them. What do you think, you think Rudolph is real, or it’s just a story he tells?
Raimi: It’s just a story he tells.
*Quiet for awhile*
Raimi: I don’t think God is real.
Me: Really? That’s a smart thing to be thinking about. Why don’t you believe in God?
Raimi: Well, I don’t think he created the Earth… I’m… not sure… where the earth comes from, but probably from a nebula.
Me: Wow! What a smart thing to say! I am so proud of you, Raimi. But what if science is true and the Universe did start the way science says, but there is *also* a spirit or energy in the Universe that is God? What if God is meaning or truth or love? And when we die we return to that energy? Am I making sense or is it pretty confusing.
Raimi: It’s pretty confusing.
Me: It’s big stuff to think about.
Raimi: Maybe God is the grass.
Me: Yeah, maybe God is inside everything.
Raimi: Maybe God is that leaf. And then God is in our yard.