The Boy Teacher and The Father Student 35; More Than You Can Chew

If you look at life head on you just might miss the stuff that comes at you sideways. Maybe we should ignore such sideways stuff. Or maybe we should welcome it. I like the term "dogged determination". But the more I think about it, maybe that is not such a good thing.

F: How do you eat an Elephant?

B: You can’t eat an Elephant.

F: One bite at a time.

B: That’s a good one. But now I think there is a lecture.

Of course there was a lecture coming and it was an important lesson. A reminder to dad and advice to the boy. If you have ever written a lecture or a sermon I would hope you would find yourself giving yourself some advice. Self-application of what we speak is a very important aspect of growing. Yes, even at 6 decades plus. The concept of “do as I do not as I speak”. Is a great twist for thought from “do as I say not as I do”. Of course thought before action or words is imperative otherwise you get the child response of “Why did you do that?” “I don’t know”. The lecture comes out in the way of questions/riddles. But we can tell there is something below the surface.

F: Alright no lecture.

B: Phew wee

F: How do you read the whole Bible?

B: You can’t.

F: One page at a time.

F: How do you finish 3^rd grade?

B: Wait, now I get it. One day at a time.

The boy insisted on returning to basketball. Or catch with the soccer ball. And the boy is getting the hang of the concept.

B: How do you play catch?

F: Easy peasy, one catch at a time.

B: Nope, one throw at a time. (much laughter)

F: Smart ass. Oops I meant smarty pants. Don’t tell mom, unless she asks, which she won’t.

B: You always say that. But at school they tell us to tell on each other if we do bad things. They call it reporting. And remember when I got in trouble for not reporting Johnny for using the wrong restroom? So I should tell mom or I will get in trouble.

F: You know that I argued with your teacher about that. Snitches get stitches.

B: Dad you know that that is not right. If you do not tell, something worse could happen. Remember that sign we read at the airport. “If it’s suspicious, report it”. You know what I mean.

F: Wow buddy that is a can of worms.

B: Cool another idiom. Does that mean it is too gross for mommy?

F: Nah, more like an idea it is too slimy to get a hold of.

B: Ya, but I could grab one for fishing.

F: That is kind of the point. If you can get one, good but trying to get all of them without squishing them is very hard.

B: Shut up and lets play. Oops I mean “be quiet”. I have to concentrate.

F: Don’t worry I will not rat you out!

Onto a next subject. Not so easy does it. Death is not only a passing but can be a mindset. Oh lord help a man teach a child to not stray in that direction. But yet let the young understand the notion of death of the body and renew a man’s spirit.

B: Dad are you going to die because of the doctors?

F: You have to admit that is funny. Are you going to get a grade because of the teacher?

B: I mean because of what they say. You know what I mean.

F: I do and no.

B: I remember when I was little I did not know what cancer meant and you and mom said everything would be fine and Jesus was the real healer. But now I know you die from cancer.

F: Check it out, I had it when you were little and who is standing right here right now?

B: Are you all well?

F: Yes and no. You know how I exercise and hike and eat so crazy? And I told you that I pray continuously?

B: Does that mean you are well?

F: No, it is why I am well.

B: I like some of your funny food like the fruit and salads, but not your smoothies – yuk.

F: I would like more salt and sugar. And sometimes I am happy to eat processed foods but not often, I kind of sneak that stuff.

B: Like when you sneak me ice cream? You know mom does not care so who are we sneaking from?

F: Ourselves. Like when you don’t do a chore right you really just cheat yourself.

B: I like doing good for others but your idea of doing good for myself seems weird.

F: Back to being sick. We get well for ourselves but also for those who love us, like me for you.

B: Like when I don’t cry when it hurts because it makes mom all sad?

So as it often happens a topic gets shelved without resolution and is seemingly forgotten only to pop up later after thinking on it. When this happens with a child it is the beginning of real intellectual growth and is as exciting as it gets.

B: So ok dad, why aren’t you dying of cancer when other people are?

F: Wow that question is so complicated to answer. Think of how many people there are and think that there can be that many cancers or reactions. Also think all the different strengths of people and so different ways to attack cancer. That should be clear as mud.

B: Alright another idiom! Or maybe that other thing where you use “as”.

F: Simile.

B: So does that mean that you are not going to die from cancer?

F: It would seem so. It got smaller without medical treatment, just diet and healthy living. Kind of like the miracles we help create through love.

B: Do you think love cured you. You always say that “anything is possible in love” and I believe you. Or do you think all of those ladies praying for you at church made you OK? Or maybe it is like Spiderman you got sick so it made you super.

F: Cool ideas. Maybe all of them?

B: Yea like that idea of working together is more than working apart. What is that word?

F: synergism.

This bullet will not be dodged. The boy is dogged in his need for an answer. Now I can tell he is not really trying to figure it out but rather how to ask a question to pin me down about dying. Like only a child can do, he believes that death is a set appointment and that we can somehow know. Believe it or not this gets even trickier in a Christian household. It adds a non-fatalism twist.

B: Ok when are you going to die from the cancer?

F: I am not going to.

B: You can’t know that, can you? I mean I want to know when.

F: Well that is a sticky wicket.

B: Is that an idiom?

F: Kind of but more a metaphor that comes from a funny baseball game of cricket.

B: That is funny, do they play with crickets? Hihihi

B: So you do not really know if you are going to die of cancer?

F: Exactly.

B: Now I get it when we say to live every day like it may be your last. Just like eating an elephant.

F: How in the heck did your little mind do that?

B: Because like you say, I am smarter than you.