Bow Asks Why

It's such beautiful spring weather right now. We're still in February, but already the grass in the backyard is green and unexpected flowers show up here and there.

This yellow crocus sprouted up unbidden, half hidden between new blades of grass and brown, dead leaves.

It was there for only a short while, and then it disappeared forever.

It's been raining off and on for the past couple of days, but Bow has taken every opportunity between rains to sun himself in the outer pen.

It's a spacious area. There is plenty of room there for more friends.

On Monday, February 20, Bow had company. My daughter and I took advantage of the clear, sunny day to get her senior pictures taken. Lawrence came to sit with Bow, but he did not come alone. He was accompanied by two eight year old girls, his own daughter Lori and her friend, who was staying with them. Bow was happy and excited to see the two girls.

"I want them to come in," he told Lawrence by spelling out the words.

"No, Bow, they can't come in."

But Bow was insistent. He took Lawrence's hand again and spelled: "I have to have them come in."

When Lawrence told him "no" again, Bow spelled out one word only: "Why?"

"'Cause Momma says so," Lawrence told Bow. Then one of the girls also wanted to know why they could not go in. Lawrence told the girls that when they are eighteen, they can talk to me about becoming interns. That's only ten years away. At the rate that time has been passing for us lately, it will be upon in the blink of an eye. Of course, by the time they are eighteen, Bow will be twenty-five.

"That's the first time Bow has ever asked me why about anything," Lawrence reported to me. He was quite amazed.

Of course, Bow's asked me why before, many times. But that was years ago, when he was about the age of those girls,  and we don't talk about it much, anymore.