I've just returned from a delightful trip to see my granddaughter and daughter. I especially got a kick out of my granddaughter, just turned eight, asking what insurance was. She was intensely interested, and we talked about "assurance" and I explained about paying money each month so if something happens to your house or car the insurance will fix it. Then she pondered about the "in" part of the word, and we wondered if it had to do with being in volved with protecting the house or car. I have no idea where she heard the word originally, but I believe some worry about a hurricane or tornado or some other act of nature might have been the source. Catastrophe must have been in the mix. I wisely did not discuss life insurance, because I did not want to go down that road.
But our talk was about security, and safety, and fear of something like Japan and Equador just experienced. I hope I comforted her, but these issues loom large not just for eight year olds but for all of us. I afforded it the respect it deserved.
Things are not in our control, and I believe she had a shiver of understanding recently. The lives of children are as complicated as that of adults. The myth may be they are carefree, but reality is darker and more unknown. We should respect the reality, not comfort ourselves with the myth of childhood.
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