Life and Death

I was showing my 2-year old daughter, videos of her grandparents who are in India. She thoroughly enjoyed them along with my commentary about the fun times we had. And then out of nowhere, she asked me the most unexpected question: “Where is your grandfather, mommy?” He passed away few years back and I have always talked fondly about him. But as I was bracing to answer my daughter’s question, I suddenly had no answer. Should I introduce the word “death” to her and thus open up a range of unanswerable questions? And even if I did, will she even understand the concept?

How do you explain death to a 2-year old? Just as…how do you explain birth? Looking at our wedding photos, I have heard this question few times: “Mommy, why am I not in your wedding photos?” or “Why did you not bring me to your wedding?” I have just laughed at and dismissed those questions just as I dismissed the question about my grandfather by saying – he’s not there anymore. But sooner or later, I will have tell the truth…maybe partially if not entirely.

I realized it is at times like these that we might start introducing the concept of “God” – its so much easier to say, “He went to God’s home” and “God makes babies”!