Wisdom of a Child

Young Soul - Pictured Left

Very Old Soul - Pictured Right



I will sometimes say, to a certain type of person, that I don't yet know where my son was for the millennia before he arrived in my life, but I'm certain his soul has lived a long and textured existence.

But that is my next post....

Today's post is about my daughter.  This child possesses a purity I did not know existed in the universe prior to her arrival.  I really believe her spirit will be as joyful and exuberant at 100 as it is at 10.  She is one of those rare individuals that is pure light.  She brightens any physical space she chooses to occupy.  I am a very fortunate mom that I have the privilege to share her life.  I'm not sure what karmic favor is being repaid to me, but I'm more than willing to take it.

When Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot two weeks ago, it was an event of much distress and discussion in my household.  And as I always try to do with the darkness that intrudes into our lives, I shared the facts of the assassination attempt with my children and explored what we could learn from it.

My daughter reacted to Giffords' shooting with sadness.  This was not surprising to me.  She is a compassionate and empathic soul.  She seemed confused about my son's initial focus on the perpetrator of the crime.  Her single focus was on Giffords' survival.

However, when the news of nine year old Christina Green's death was reported on the news, my daughter's eyes flashed with anger.  And she had some questions that demanded answers.

Questions for which I did not have answers. 

Questions for which our Nation does not have answers.

Later that afternoon, my daughter descended the stairs from her room with a single piece of paper in her hand.  She handed it to me and asked if I would please mail it to President Obama.  While the letter is simple and innocent in her understanding of the large and looming issues that surround the Tuscon shootings, she was able to get right at the heart of the matter in a way that only a child can.

Here is her letter, written in her dyslexic font, straight from her heart and unedited by me with the exception of her name and school.  I hope you find it as powerful as I.

Dear President Obeama,

I know how we can stop all these people who do things like what happened to the congress lady and the man who worked for her.  Well the man who worked for her was killed.  The congress lady almost lost her life.  This is what we can bo.  Stop selling guns!  People who go hunting can go to a place were there guns are and pick them up.  They would have to bring there ID to pick them up too.  But before that you will have to go to each house and take ther gun.  Now, bon't think I forgot to say we only give the gun to the army.  The reson why I sent you a letter is it is hard to kill someone with a knif.  Someone like me a little girl who just wants to see who her parents vote for.

Love,                               

Pepper G Stevens            

age 10 4th grade at          
Stepford Elementary         
School NT, Stepford          

xo,