My 7 yr old and I had a long, long chat about life and times to come. I assumed my sermonic best and taught him four lessons -
- There will be happy times, and sad times, good times and tough times, laughter and tears - none of it will last forever.
- You are forever protected. My your mother's blessings, grandmother's love and God's grace.
- You were an answer to fervent prayers. You shall be the one thing that made your mother's life worthwhile. You are precious. Don't ever believe anything less.
- There is God in your heart, in you. Be kind and compassionate as befits the God in you.
He nodded, smiled, and promptly fell asleep. I was left with the distinct impression that my mom would have wanted me to believe precisely those very statements.
