”Mom, what do you mean by being alive?” my son suddenly asked me this question.
This delicate and sensitive 8-year-old has asked this question more than once.
I have to think about it and give a serious answer.
”Son, tell my mother why I remembered to ask this question again?”
”I just feel a little stressed and tired recently.” The son was a little shy when he said this, as if he didn’t think he should have said it.
I remember when I was in elementary school. I seldom did my homework in the whole elementary school period. At that time, I was very happy. After school, I would carry a basket with my friends and go to the wild to pick grass and feed the pigs and sheep, or run wild with a group of children, or just play. Only once, was selected by the teacher to participate in the competition in the county, and I was the only one in the whole school. “You are the only one in the whole school to participate in this competition. You must perform well and win glory for the school.” The teacher solemnly instructed me. At the time, I felt like something was blocking my heart, but now that I think about it, it was something called stress.
When I got home, I cried when I saw my father who was weaving baskets. Dad smiled and said, “I thought it was a big deal. It’s just a test, and my daughter can still fail the test? Don’t cry.” Although Dad said it with a smile, his words were a kind of trust and encouragement. But what I felt was a deeper pressure and incomprehension. Adults always think that children are carefree and worry about eating and drinking. Children’s worries are “Young people do not know the taste of sorrow, and they say it for the sake of new words”. In fact, people have their own troubles at every stage of growth, and every trouble should not be taken lightly.
I know my son’s stress is real and I hope my answer will give him some encouragement.
”Baby, mother will tell you a story about how you came to this world. At that time, there were thousands of little lives competing with you, whoever crossed the barriers to the end first won, The prize is to be able to meet your own parents. At that time, you, strong and brave, worked hard all the way, defeated thousands of troops and became the champion, so you came to this colorful world and became our child. You see how much you are Awesome.”
”Haha, Mom, am I so amazing?”
”Of course, so, having life is something to be proud of. As for the meaning of life, my mother thinks that everyone’s meaning of life is different, because everyone’s pursuit is different, and some people want to help the world at the same time. , Some people want to make achievements and careers, and some people want to live a peaceful and ordinary life. Everyone has different pursuits and ideals, so they will choose different lives. No matter what kind of life, first of all, they must live a healthy life.”
”As for the pressure you mentioned. , in fact, everyone has it. People will have a variety of experiences in life, including pressure and happiness; expectations and disappointments; depression and excitement; failures and successes… It is in such alternating states, People grow up slowly, and those bad experiences are painful, but they are all steps of growth. When we step forward step by step, we become stronger. Baby, do you understand?” The
son’s bright eyes Look at me, “Got it.”
I hope to give the child more strength to move forward, to fill him with longing and hope, and at the same time to keep his mind light, always innocent, and always kind. As for what kind of answers he can find, let him explore slowly as he grows.
