The One With the Dead Ant

Our two year old is starting to put things together...

The other day I noticed one of those huge black ants making its way across our kitchen floor. We were in the middle of eating and in an effort to not make a big spectacle of "squishing bugs" (in fear that this will become Caitlin's new favorite outdoor hobby) I leaned over and grabbed a small box acting as a temporary home for our switchplate covers and firmly enough set it down on top of the intruder. Done and done.

Well who knew that one of the first things Caitlin would notice the next morning at breakfast was the dead ant on the floor, now exposed since the switchplate box was moved during Grady's continued work on the kitchen reno from the night before. That girl spots everything, I should have known.

Here's how the conversation went:

Caitlin: "Bug!"
Me: from across the room, thinking she sees a live one, "Where?"
C: pointing, "Bug!"
M: walking over, "Ohhh, yeah...that's an ant." pause. "It's dead."
C: "Dead."
M: "Yeah, dead. I squished it."
C: "Squished it."

I go back to making breakfast...then some minutes later:
Caitlin: "Hurt?"
Me: "What hurts?"
C: pointing, "Bug."
M: "The bug hurts? Ohh, umm, you mean when I squished it?"
C: "Yeah, squished it."
M: not knowing how to respond, "Umm, I don't know if the bug hurt...I mean, maybe..."
C: "Bug. Hurt. Squished. Owie."
M: *totally* not knowing what to say, "It's ok Caitlin, he's dead and doesn't hurt now."

Some more minutes later...
Caitlin: "I kiss it better?"

Blech. Let's just say we cleared that one up right away.

Back...Almost

Well tomorrow we'll be faced with the last of the difficult goodbyes before we're back in Rochester to resume our daily life. It's been a positively wonderful visit here to Edmonton and so great to catch up with old friends and reconnect with family. Many posts of pictures and stories to come, but in the meantime, a quote that has resonated with me since I read it last week:

"Compassion is expressed in gentleness. When I think of the persons I know who model for me the depths of the spiritual life, I am struck by their gentleness. Their eyes communicate the residue of solitary battles with angels, the costs of caring for others, the deaths of ambition and ego, and the peace that comes from having very little left to lose in this life. They are gentle because they have honestly faced the struggles given to them and have learned the hard way that personal survival is not the point. Their caring is gentle because their self-aggrandizement is no longer at stake. There is nothing in it for them. Their vulnerability has been stretched to clear-eyed sensitivity to others and truly selfless love."
--from Healing of Purpose by John E. Biersdorf