Heaven...

We have a sick baby.  Hopefully just a quick virus, but it has her sisters worried.
Tonight as we were having a snack before bed Eleanor asked why God had to make Lucy sick.  I explained God didn't make her sick, sometimes crummy things happen for what seems like no good reason.
After a moment Emma asked "Mom, have you ever thought why God lets bad stuff happen to good people?".   Her question took my breath away.  Have I ever thought that?  Maybe more like, do I ever stop.  I said yes, I have thought about it.
And then, the flood gates opened.
"Yea, like God made the bad guys"  responded Eleanor.  At this point, my grocery list turned into a  writer's tablet as I scribbled down all they were saying.
"Well, most bad guys are bad because they had a bad childhood" Emma chimed in.
"Mama, will the world ever end?" Eleanor asked.  "Of course!  It's how the story goes, we just don't know if it's going to be a big burst, if it's just going to be gone one day, maybe martians will invade, no one knows"  Emma explained.  "But before the story ends we'll be in heaven, right?"  Eleanor asked.  "I'll be able to see you there won't I, mama?"  she said.  I explained that what we know about heaven is that it's better than anything we can imagine, so I'm certain we'll be together.  "And probably they'll be corn casserole for every meal" Emma imagined.
Eleanor sighed, "I've wondered if in heaven all the people are invisible, like maybe all the heaven people are all around us right now, and we just can't see them.  Like heaven is right here but we don't even know".
Indeed.  Right here.

My tiny philosophers.  Early 2006.