This morning I finished reading the last two chapters of Charlotte's Web to the kids. Even though my son had seen the movie awhile back, I was kind of dreading the ending, as you know, she dies.
As I read the paragraph, I could see the words, "Charlotte died" several lines below and my eyes got tears in them. Now I may need to preface this a bit because my son usually sits in a comfortable slouch while we read, asking what words mean or to see if there is a picture on that page. When I read those words I saw him straighten upright. "Mommy," he inquired softly, "why did Charlotte have to die?" Knowing this answer won't last forever I told him that is how God made living things.
He seemed alright with that answer as we kept reading, and he seemed especially pleased that three of Charlotte's babies stayed to befriend Wilbur. At the end when we talked about the book, I was all choked up - hello - I new what was going to happen!! And he was fine... alas, I've got to grow up!
In the words of a pretty smart spider, "We're born, we live a little while, we die." What a big gift this small life is in the greater scheme of things. Giving or doing for others is perhaps the biggest thing we can do with the small time we have. The gift of friendship, what a beautiful thing!
