Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Fill your mind like Abigail

Last weekend we visited my mom and step-dad and spent a night at their cabin. My step-dad and his sons are avid hunters, and there are a number of "trophies" mounted on the walls. Abigail was understandably wary about the large animal heads, and she asked my step-dad about it. He kindly took her around and told her about how the animals weren't alive any more, and that what she was seeing was just the animals' skins with marbles for eyes. He told her a little about a taxidermist and the different kinds of animals she saw - elk, antelope, badger, deer, pheasant - and then reassured her again that what she saw was just the animals' skins. A few minutes later she came to me and said,

"Mom! The animals are just their skins, and - and - (she tried to gather her thoughts for a minute) and - my mind is really full - but the animals are just their skins!"