Sunday, November 28, 2010

Divorce and Heart Attacks



Well, tonight, I was laying in bed with Maya just talking and she asked why some daddys want to find new mommys, so of course we went into a lengthy discussion on why some people get divorced, and she was awful heartbroken at the concept. She started bawling about her Granny Helen who got divorced and how she didn't know her greatgrandfather and I had to explain to her that sometimes people don't want to get divorced, but the other person does and so it just happens. Trying to cheer her up, I told her about when I was about her age and had learned that one of my best friends parents had gotten divorced, I asked my mom if she and dad were ever going to get divorced and how she explained that they would always love each other and no matter what would stay together and how secure and happy that made me feel. I then went on to explain that my Grammy had gotten divorced when she was young and had 5 young boys to raise and how a great man named Golden Charles Elmer stepped into my father's life and became his dad and how much he loved him, and this seemed to cheer Maya up...until I mentioned that I did not really know him because he died when I was 3. Well of course she wanted to know why, and I explained that he died because he had a heart attack and of course she started balling again saying, "I don't want you to die" and "What's a heart attack" and eager to change the subject, I explained in the simplest terms I thought she would understand, that a heart attack is when you heart has to work too hard because you ate too much butter and salt, to which she bawled louder, "I don't want to have a heart attack!" What can I say, the girl likes salt and butter and I guess I should have picked my words a little more carefully, but I was able to eventually calm her down.

2 comments:

Kathy said...

Divorce is a terrible thing. Poor Maya, she has such a soft heart. I love that girl. You are a great dad. I love you.

Peggy said...

We both laughed and cried Maya is so tender-hearted! You better stop eating butter and salt Casey!