When the age of discovery turns morbid

I have posted frequently about the amusing conversations I have had with my son while driving.  As he gazes out the window, he makes many observations and asks interesting questions.  I love this season of wonder and discovery when children notice so many details that I would otherwise miss, such as the patterns of the clouds or the seemingly unending amount of time an old truck has been hoisted up on tire jacks.  (Read about these and other observations here.)

Today while driving out to a familiar horse farm, he noticed an old cemetery and asked about the tombstones.  He wanted to know why they were there and what they represent. I explained that they mark grave sites.  We talked about how when a person dies, his earthly body is often placed in a casket and buried.  A Christian's spirit leaves the body upon physical death and goes to be with Jesus while the physical body rots in the ground.  I reminded him that when Christ returns, those believers who have already died on earth will receive resurrection bodies.  He was relieved to learn that his resurrection body would not suffer from allergies as he does currently.  Then he asked me, rather matter-of-factly, without intending any irreverence, "When will you take me to a tombstone and show me the dead body underneath the ground?  I am interested in seeing what it looks like."

 

It seems ironic that yesterday I posted about something outlandish that my husband said that caught him off guard, and today, he totally blew my mind with his innocent yet morbid inquiry.   He now understands that the only place I will let him view a dead body is at a visitation when he is older and more mature.  Whew...parenting can be unnerving at times.

When we arrived at the horse farm, I gazed up into the trees while he grabbed my Nikon and documented more of his observations.

My view from under the tree

His view of the fence

His view through the fence of our daughter receiving a riding lesson

Then he returned the camera to me, with his lovely fingerprint smudges on the lens, and watched a horse take a shower.

Viewing the world through a child's eyes can be awkward at times, but it is rarely boring!