MSI Press Blog

  We thought the hamster era would be fun. Noelle adored animals—especially hamsters. So we got her a pair from the pet store, not realizing they were male and female. Nature took its course. Babies arrived. We figured it would be a sweet experience for Noelle: watching them grow, learning about life. But one baby didn’t grow. It had three legs. And the mother killed it—right in front of Noelle. We weren’t prepared. Not for the brutality. Not for the questions. Not for the heartbreak of explaining that in the wild, animals don’t have the means to help their disabled young survive. They do what nature tells them to do. And nature isn’t always kind. Noelle was four. She didn’t have three legs, but she had two legs that didn’t work. She asked, “Would the hamster mother have killed me?” And the answer, of course, was yes. We couldn’t lie. Covering up the truth would have been as cruel as telling it. So we told her. And she sobbed. And sobbed. And sobbed. Nothing we said could ...

  (The divine works in mysterious ways. I was looking at the mountains this morning. I don't know exactly what I was looking for, but I thought that was the place to look. And then this came up in my memories. It was the first piece I had published in a newspaper following the book [ A Theology for the Rest of Us ]. Besides the comforting thought, I had the distinct impression the divine was stifling a laugh.) When young children are hurt or sad, they want a kiss to make it better. Or a hug. Yes, hugs can work well, too. And ice cream. Ice cream is the best. As adults, however, we know that whatever the injury or problem, kissing it is not going to make anything better. It is ironic that there is so much pop psychology advice that, especially in times of crisis, we need to connect with our inner child. Idyllic notions of childhood aside, the truth is that childhood is often about feeling powerless and ever so small. There is a reason why children are so taken with dinosaurs. Dinosa...