"Mom, is this a true story?"
If your kids are like mine, this is one of the first questions they ask me about a story we've read. A lot of the time, it's a very easy question to answer. Yes, George Washington is a real person. No, Harry Potter is not.
But things get tricky when we get into the realm of myth, don't they? Because stories can be True without being, well, "true stories". When we throw in children's spirituality to the mix, things can get downright complicated. |
I don't know the right answer for your family, but I can tell you what I've told my own children, especially my seven-year-old who cares very much about whether stories are true: Saint Michael is real, and he fights for the glory of God. The Psalmist sings, "For He shall give His angels charge over you, / To keep you in all your ways." (Psalm 91:11, NKJV).
In the Orthodox Church, we like to call icons "windows into heaven." The neat thing about windows is that you can look through them both ways, though you can't always see clearly. Maybe it's raining, and the tree outside is just a watery blur. Or maybe the lights are off in the house, and you can't see inside. Saint Michael may not come charging out of my icon corner, but that doesn't change the fact that he is very real and very present in God's creation.
"But Mom, why can't I see Saint Michael, too?"
This one was harder for me, because there have been days I've asked God the same question! I want the reward of a healthy spiritual life without all of the sacrifice.
I'm heartened by the personal anecdotes of the saints and holy elders-- some people really do get a tangible taste of heaven in this life! But they are spiritual warriors, and I'm just little old me. So what that tells me, I say to my kids, is that all good things are hard work. You don't wake up one morning and run a marathon just for the heck of it. You don't read one book and get your PhD. You don't build a deep and lasting friendship with someone you love without putting in the time, and the same is true of our spiritual lives. So I tell my kids: keep on loving, keep on praying, and be patient with the Holy Spirit. If you cling to the Cross, you will become a saint.
I'm heartened by the personal anecdotes of the saints and holy elders-- some people really do get a tangible taste of heaven in this life! But they are spiritual warriors, and I'm just little old me. So what that tells me, I say to my kids, is that all good things are hard work. You don't wake up one morning and run a marathon just for the heck of it. You don't read one book and get your PhD. You don't build a deep and lasting friendship with someone you love without putting in the time, and the same is true of our spiritual lives. So I tell my kids: keep on loving, keep on praying, and be patient with the Holy Spirit. If you cling to the Cross, you will become a saint.
Keep the conversation going...
Sometimes I feel like my kids ask me the same questions over and over again, and I wonder if what I say really means anything to them at all. But then I remind myself that my children are in God's very capable hands, and the important thing is to keep having the Great Conversation.
I hope Sasha and the Dragon becomes part of your family's story!
I hope Sasha and the Dragon becomes part of your family's story!