Sometimes as an adult, it is in answering the questions of my young children that I rethink what is happening in the world and how to put it all into context. Have you ever tried to explain the meaning of the word war to a 5-year-old? As you hear the words coming out of your own mouth, I guarantee that you will be struck by the insanity of it. I had such a conversation with my daughter earlier this year. Of course, I always wonder when we have these discussions about such grown-up things just how much she understands. That brings me to today...
[We are in the car listening to public radio and news about a bombing in Iraq comes on.]
5-yr-old: Mommy, please skip the war stuff.
Me: O.k. honey, Why?
5-yr-old: It makes me thing that the mean President might win.
(Now I wonder who does she mean, Pres. Bush?)
Me: Who?
5-yr-old: John McCain
Me: Why do you think that he is mean?
5-yr-old: Because he just keeps letting the war go on and he's not doing anything about it.