Deep bedtime conversations

As mentioned in an earlier post, our bedtime routine is pretty standard, and pretty established. Often Todd and I will engage in a little conversation while snuggling, before we drift off to sleep. If he's in a good mood, it's a perfect time to get him to open up with more details about what he did at school that day. Or we'll just talk about random things.

Tonight the conversation started before finished his prayers. As he was about to launch into the Lord's Prayer, he paused and asked quizzically: "Why is the Lord's Prayer so long?"

I seized the opportunity to go through it line by line and explain in kiddie terms what it meant. That in turn led to questions about what heaven must be like.

I gave him my best guess, explaining that it was a place where people could live peacefully and lovingly and not hurt each other by lying or stealing or cheating. Upon my mention that I believe animals are in heaven too, Todd objected:

"If animals are there, they'll go RAWR at you!"

I quickly allayed his fear that he might get chased by a ferocious lion up in heaven, and pointed out that up there, there would be no need for animals to hunt one another. Sharks would not attack turtles, lions could sit peacefully with deer.

Todd digested this and then added his own opinion of what else heaven might consist of:

"There will be music in heaven. That's what I think."

I agreed. After all, what better way to express peace and love than through music?