Life's lessons...

This morning was a rough morning!  As I sat in my bed this morning writing in my prayer journal I looked up only to see my 7 year old son Pierson so excited to tell me about a couple of tricks his new rat Sugar could do.  He said that she now knows how to play dead and also she plays freeze tag.  Let me just say, that this is not an exaggerated story!  Seriously this is what he was telling me!  At first, I took it lightly.  I mean this kid comes up with some crazy stuff!  And quite often amazes me too, so maybe he did teach Sugar these new tricks.  I asked him to bring her to me.  Yep, she was laying upside down with her feet up and barely breathing.  Oh my, how was I gonna break the news to him that she was dying.  He dearly loves her!  In order to get her, he had written a 2 page persuasive writing to us and managed to save money to buy her.  He was such a good rat owner.  He played with her everyday in the morning, afternoon and evening!  She was such a great rat!  She never, not one time pooped or peed on us and loved being held.  Oh my!  I had to tell him the truth.  His first real life lesson.  He broke down in tears and held her until she took her last breath.  We got a small box and put her in it and sat her outside the back door until we can later bury her.  I found him throughout the day sitting by the box.  Staring into it sometimes.  His 7 year old heart and mind sat there praying that she would come back to life.  I held Pierson in my arms as he wept.  He didn't understand.  It's a life lesson that I'm not sure any of us understand.  Death is one of those things that we mourn but as I sat today explaining to Pierson not to be sad, that Sugar is in heaven I remembered my brother.  It was 9 years ago today that my brother died.  I was even more sad.  Ok Angela I thought, can I take my own advice?  Rejoice he is in heaven.  This was not only a life lesson for Pierson but also for myself.  

Pierson telling daddy about Sugar dying!