A lesson learned at Christmas time...

After reading Jennifer's story at The Blue Sparrow, I knew that I had share a story about a five year old kindergarten student I spend some time with each week. For confidentiality's sake, let's call this little boy "Luke."

A couple of weeks ago, Luke was sitting on his carpet square in his kindergarten room while his teacher explained what they were going to do for their next project. This project was to create an ornament for their parents. As the teacher explained that only one child would make two ornaments since she lived in two separate homes, several students became confused and wanted to make two also. The teacher explained again how this ornament would be for the two parents that live in your house. As Luke raised his hand to explain his situation, Mrs. P, looked at Luke and told him that he would be making an ornament for his Mommy Jen and his Daddy since his other Mommy was in Heaven. Luke seemed to be okay with this at first until more conversations took place about other parents that were away in different cities on vacation or work conferences. This evolved into the teacher saying that their parents would be back at their house sometime and could see the ornament then. Luke then raised his hand. Mrs. P called on Luke. Luke said that he could send his ornament to his mom. Mrs. P told him that his Mommy was in Heaven..."How could an ornament get to her?" Luke answered, sounding very informative, "I can put the ornament on a balloon. Then I can drive to Illinois and send it up to her." Mrs. P looked at Luke and then at me and then back at Luke with tears in her eyes and said, "Of course you can make two ornaments."

As Luke remembered his Mommy and made her an ornament to send to Heaven that day, I realized the innocence and ever present knowledge that little kids hold. Luke's Mommy is in Heaven. And that's where he wanted to send an ornament. This made sense to him in a very senseless situation and world. As I watched Luke make his ornament, I felt a very close bond to this little boy. His innocence is what I feel most days....an innocence to do things for a baby that is no longer here. Yet, so often, because we are adults, others don't give us a "right" to be that innocent. They tell us or think to themselves that we should have moved on by now....that life must go on....which we all know it does and we do, but it should be on our own time schedules. Luke can do that...and will do that. Why can't we too?

This is why I believe children may be smarter than many adults. This five-year-old understood the meaning of remembrance and never-ending love. He understood the importance in honoring his Mommy during this very special holiday season. Thank you, Luke, for teaching a lesson to many adults that day. May they hold that lesson in their hearts always and show compassion to any person that suffers a loss.