Death, A Two Year Old Perspective

Someone I love, and who has been sick for a while passed away late last week, and yesterday there was a visitation for her, and today was the funeral.  As always, coordinating such events are always quite the ordeal in my family.  So, TT and I headed to Wisconsin yesterday for the visitation with T's parents, and T and Nur stayed behind and met us in Wisconsin for the funeral today. 

I tried to explain it all to TT as best I could.  "Mama, we are going to vacation?"  "Mama, we get to stay in hotel and go swimming!"  "Mama, we going to a party with a lot of people."  Well. . . I wouldn't call a visitation for a deceased person a party, but all TT knew is that we were doing something out of the ordinary and Nana and Gidu were coming with and we got to eat fast food and snacks, and watch DVDs in the van.  All of this equates a party for a 2 year old.

We got to the funeral home, and my plan was to keep TT away from the casket.  I didn't want her to be scared.  I didn't want her to cause a scene, or to be disrespectful in any way.  Yet, after a while, TT found her way to the casket.  She asked if I could hold her so she could see better.  I picked TT up, and she studied our dear friend.  "Mama.  She's napping.  Shhh. . . "  "Mama, will she wake up soon?"  I explained to TT that our friend has gone to live with Jesus.  TT seemed to like that response.  I put her down, and she went to a children's area of the funeral home where there were coloring books and crayons.  TT colored on a picture of a butterfly, and then she grabbed my hand and said, "Come on Mama."  I asked TT where we were going, and she said,

"Going to find Jesus mama."

TT drug me around the funeral home, picture in hand.  Finally, she found the casket again.  She asked me to pick her up, and she placed her drawing in the casket with our dear friend.  She told me the picture was for Jesus. 

I was amazed and in awe of TT's child-like faith.  A bunch of adults gather in these situations, thinking of what to say.  "Oh, she looks good."  "She is at peace." "She's not in pain anymore."  I believe all these things, I do.  But the faith and reassurance a two-year old provides in these situations is unparalled.  TT provided a glimpse of hope and love for everyone there. 

My daughter and her compassion and love amaze me.

And not to forget about my son, as soon as he got to the funeral today, although he didn't have a clue what was going on, he went and found those hurting the most, and gave them the best hug anyone could ask for.