Farewell: See You Next School Year
This week is the last week of school for Smiley Face. Naturally our car conversations will end this week. And for the following week, as I wrap-up end of the year stuff at school, I will be driving to work alone. While it’s only one week, I will miss driving to work with Smiley Face. So as a tribute to our time together this year, I will post our last thought provoking conversation and I will repost my favorite Car Chronicles conversation.
*******************************************************************************
On our way to school, Smiley Face and I always listen to NPR. The news for the past month or so has been terrible. Natural calamaties around the world and in the United States have claimed many lives.
The morning when we learned about the Cyclone that devastated Myanmar, Smiley Face ask me the following question:
“Daddy, if people don’t die and earthquake, cyclones, and tsunamis happened, would you say that what happened was ca-tos-tro-phic, did I say it right?”
“Yes you said it right. I guess if no one died then it’s not catastrophic. It would still be bad though because people will definitely be hurt.”
“But if no one is hurt and no people were around to feel the effects of these things, would it still be ca-tos-tro-phic?”
“I guess not.” I answered.
“Yeah, I wish people didn’t have to live in places where they can get hurt.” She said with sadness.
“I’m there with you.”
We usually listen to NPR until we are close to the school and then we change the station to listen to music. But that day, even though we were still 45 minutes away from school, we started listening to music.
************************************************************************
Editor’s Note: The Holy Trinity was originally posted on January 29, 2008, Wat da Wat’s first post, categorized under Car Chronicles.
The Holy Trinity
Jan-29-2008
Car Chronicles, Parenting
On our way to school this morning the issue of religion crept into our conversation. I wished I had the luxury of searching Google when Nikki asks me the following question.
“Daddy, how can God be Jesus and the Holy Ghost at the same time?”
I had to pause. I was at a lost for words; a spiritual map would have been good right about this time to help me navigate through this difficult concept. I wanted to throw in a couple of jokes but thank God I didn’t.
I told her that this is a concept that even adults have difficulty understanding. But out from nowhere as I made my turn on
I asked her, “Nikki what’s Daddy’s job?”
She said, “You are a teacher.”
“You are correct” I stated.
“I am also your father, Grandma’s son, Tita Lei’s brother, and Mama’s husband.”
“I am all these things but I am the same person. That’s how God is. God is the son and the Holy Ghost and still be the one God.”
As always, she looked at me gave the same smile she always gives and went back to watching the stores and cars as we passed them by.
I think i’ll bow out now. 
