Thursday, February 9, 2012

Tonight

In the car on the way home from school, Merrick is full of death -- real for him for the first time. Death orbits his household, his clear joy-lit life marked by a new uncertainty, a far off recognition that there is something about which he must be concerned. Someday.

Merrick: "Mom? Some people believe that when you die you'we bown again in a new life."

Matron: "True. That's what Buddhists believe. That the spirit lives forever and just changes forms. We're all part of each other and everything."

Merrick: "I don't believe in that. I'm me. I wish I could know I get a new life, but I don't."

Matron: "That's okay, honey. Nobody knows exactly what death holds because nobody has been been there."

Merrick: "You know the good thing about getting a second life would be?"

Matron: "What?"

Merrick: "I wouldn't wemembew you, or Stwykew, or Scawlett ow Dad. If I don't wemembew that I lost you, I can't be sad."

Here, the Matron cannot speak.

Merrick: "But let's pwomise. The big kind."

Matron: "Okay. Promise."

Merrick: "If we get anothew life, we will know each other."

Matron: "Promise. I'll give you a signal. Like a special smile."

Merrick: "Pewfect. Because I'll know that."

And they both smiled.

Firefly life. Eternity unfolds in us daily and then, we are gone. No, she is not yet mourning her friend. Brittled by pain -- but still holding life's sheen. Hang on darling. The world is with you tonight. Especially Merrick.

9 comments:

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Merrick is a wise boy.

It sounds as though condolences are in order. Life is hard sometimes.

trash said...

That is a good promise. Peace to you all.

Patti said...

Thanks for the tears over my coffee this morning. Sweet boy.

Jessie said...

Way to go Merrick - that was beautiful!

Anonymous said...

You gave him the absolute perfect answer.

Shawn Paulson said...

Out of the mouths of babes . . .

MJ said...

Poor Merrick. Death is such a hard event for all of us to comprehend, but your explanation was wise.

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

I just wrote this a few minutes ago for a post on Tuesday, but it seems appropriate and right to share it with you now:

celebrating love
within a season of grief
mysteries of life

Suburban Correspondent said...

How scary, that first-time realization of mortality...and yet, life would have no meaning without it.