All Dogs Go to Heaven

With the recent passing of my great grandmother (Granny Nila), there has been a lot of talk about heaven lately.  Eden was very distraught after asking dozens of questions about death, dying, and heaven to learn that everyone must go to heaven.  I remember that one of the questions was specifically about Daisy (our Yorkshire Terrier).  She gasped when I answered "yes" to "Will Daisy die and go to heaven some day?"  


Yesterday, I came home to the saddest little story every.  Daddy's rendition...as told by Mommy...


Christian said he had his laptop in the living room and was working while the girls watched Sesame Street.  It's sort of an after breakfast routine at our house.  He said he admittedly wasn't paying the girls much attention, as they were pretty absorbed into Elmo (or so he thought) when he heard Eden whispering to Daisy.  He couldn't make out her words, but noted that she was holding Daisy in her lap.  She had both arms around her sweetly and was whispering in Daisy's ear.  He smiled to himself at the familiar sort of situation when he realized that Eden was whining a bit.  He looked a little closer to see Eden's face wet with tears.  He tuned out Elmo and listened in to the conversation.  When he couldn't make anything out he said "Eden, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"  Eden looked up, still holding Daisy in her arms and sniffed as she said softly and pathetically "I was just telling Daisy how much I love her and how I don't want her to get really old and go to heaven".  


Christian chuckled a bit as his eyes welled up with tears and he said "Oh, honey you don't have to worry.  Daisy's young.  She won't die for a long long time."  She seemed to dry up her tears some, but continued making over her furry little friend.  


I nearly burst into tears when I heard this story.  It sort of bothered me that she was worried about that.  You know, when you're 4 really you only need to worry about how to avoid a time-out and the best way to maneuver your way into a cool playdate.  I felt a twinge of guilt, like perhaps I'd made a mistake and told her too much about death and dying.  


A few days later we were out and about.  Eden was holding my hand when we passed an elderly man.  She pronounced with the pointed finger that I wasn't holding "Look, Mommy.  He's realllllly old."  I squeezed  her hand a little tighter, prayed she wouldn't say anything about dying soon.  I said loudly "Oh yes, he looks like a nice man" in hopes that might sound vague enough to cover up.  Maybe he'd think he misheard her.  I walked even faster as I then mumbled "Eden, we don't talk about how old people are and we certainly don't point."  As I buckled  her into the seat and she began asking more questions, I had confirmed for myself that the death conversation had led her to make old = dying in her little 4 year old brain.  


So complicated.  How do you know what to tell these little sponges?  I love when she asks questions and seems so genuinely interested in what I have to say.  I love it when she hangs on my words, as if I'm the expert.  I should record these times more often and revert back to them during her teen years, eh?  :)


Well, the conversation about death hadn't been all bad.  At least it did lead to some good questions about God and some good prayers.  I'm just praying in earnest that all dogs truly do go to heaven.  ;)