REALITY BITES.
My son is in existential conversation with his sister concerning relativity. The sad realization that he will never surpass her in age.
"But if I exercise and eat lots of food will I get older than you?"
he asks.
- "No,"
she replies kindly, but with relish.
"You MIGHT be bigger someday, but you'll NEVER be older. And MAYBE you'll be stronger than me, maybe, but probably not."
"But will I ever be OLDER than you?"
- "Never."
His face frumples, and I want to hold him and tell him it's gonna be okay, but it won't be okay, not really, because the truth is brutal and you learn to deal with the hand you're dealt, or borrow someone else's hand, which sometimes means being perpetually three years younger than your best mate and nemesis.
"You will never be older than your sister,"
I confirm.
"Shall we have some chocolate now, and talk about Galileo?"
Life goes on. Happy hollyday.
"But if I exercise and eat lots of food will I get older than you?"
he asks.
- "No,"
she replies kindly, but with relish.
"You MIGHT be bigger someday, but you'll NEVER be older. And MAYBE you'll be stronger than me, maybe, but probably not."
"But will I ever be OLDER than you?"
- "Never."
His face frumples, and I want to hold him and tell him it's gonna be okay, but it won't be okay, not really, because the truth is brutal and you learn to deal with the hand you're dealt, or borrow someone else's hand, which sometimes means being perpetually three years younger than your best mate and nemesis.
"You will never be older than your sister,"
I confirm.
"Shall we have some chocolate now, and talk about Galileo?"
Life goes on. Happy hollyday.