A world bigger than mine

ChellBell's prayers tonight were sweet and included our dogs and Mama and Daddy and Morganne and Jack, as always.  But after her Amen, she started talking about how we should also  pray for dogs who are sick and kids who are sick.  

This led into an interesting discussion about families who don't have what they need.  ChellBell's list of things "families in need" are without: their very own computer in their room, a Wii, a cell phone, and shoes.

I'm sure my child is not the only 7-year old in America with a skewed idea of what "going without" means.  Which on one hand makes me comforted that she has not experienced hardship.  But on the other hand, it means that she can't experience true gratitude because she doesn't understand the value of what has been handed to her.

So we talked through the simple act of her bath tonight and all the things it "cost" for her to have that bath.  First, we pay for the house, so we can have a bathroom and a tub.  Then we pay for the electricity so there is light in the bathroom ("wow, Mama, you have to pay for electricity?! I thought it was free."), plus the gas that heats the water ("do some kids take cold baths?"), face soap, monogrammed towels, fluffy robe and slippers...

ChellBell thought about all of this and then asked, "so what is actually free?"

And then answered her own question with, "Sleep.  Mama, sleep is free, and we should get more of it.  Because we don't have to pay for it."

True.  I never quite thought of it quite like that, but she's right.

And I'm exhausted, so I'm off to get some free sleep.