The Preciousness of Life: A Conversation with Bodhi

Recently Found This Note. Great Reminder:

This morning I had a conversation with Bodhi (now 2 ½) that reminded me of the preciousness of life.

B:        Mama, how do we get to Donna’s house?

            [Donna is his nanny.]

M:       We drive down by the beach and then turn right by the monument.

B:        What’s a monument?

M:        A monument is a statue that helps us remember a person or something that happened. Do you remember the statue of Quan-yin in Salem?

            [Bodhi calls a statue of Paul Revere in Salem “Quan-yin” since it reminds him of a small figurine of the Chinese Goddess of Mercy that he was given as a baby.]

B:        No. In Salem, it’s a graveyard.

M:        That’s right. There’s a graveyard in Salem and a monument could be in a graveyard, like the stones that were standing up over the graves.

B:        Mama, why are people buried?

M:        You bury someone when they die.

            [Bodhi reaches over and touches my leg as if to reassure himself that I am still alive.]

B:        Like who?

M:        Well, your Gram was buried.

B:        Who’s my Gram?

M:        Granny’s mom.

B:        When will you die Mama?

M:        No one knows when they will die, but I don’t think I’ll die for a long time. And there will always be someone to take care of you.

            [Now his eyes are welling up.]

B:        Where do you go when you die?

M:        Well, when you die you still live in the hearts of people who love you. Right here.

            [I touch his chest as his lip quivers. Now I’m getting a little teary. He climbs into my lap and curls up. I kiss his head and rock him slightly.]

M:        We can remember every day to be grateful for being alive. We can be happy and share our love.                        

             [Bo cuddles a few seconds longer, then wiggles down to the floor.]

B:        Mama, can we go make a car show?

And off he goes…

Meghan Gilroy is a transformative life coach in Marblehead, MA. Contact her at www.meghangilroy.com or meghan@meghangilroy.com