Death

The other day my boys and I were on our way home from playing at the park. We passed a cute grandma, or caregiver, and her grandchild. She ruffled Shermie's hair and said the usual phrases of -oh how cute they are!- and smiled. She was wearing the common garb of a long dark flower patterned skirt, a sweater, and a head scarf. After we passed them Atticus grabbed my hand and said "Mom, those girls are old that dress like that." I chuckled a little because I understood the connection he had made with the age and the clothing choices. "That means she's going to die soon." After that addition I tried to think what steps his mind was taking to come to that conclusion.
Of course, death. An intriguing topic. Especially for little people who don't have much experience with it. We just finished reading "Charlotte's Web" and through my sobs my child grasped the connection between being elderly and death. I haven't told him that a lot of people are scared of death. I try my very best to withold cultural opinions of death. Until death comes near to my life, I cannot say that I am afraid of it or that I dread it. I can say, however, that I absolutely love funerals. Not everything about them. But I do love that they bring people together.
Speaking of death, it's October. Oh, how I love Halloween! I hung up my sparse decorations sent from the states today. I opted for hanging up my paper skeleton inside my front door rather that outside. I just don't think the Turks would understand. It's like an American putting a picture of a lung on their front door. "What would your ladyship propose by it?" Elizabeth Bennet would ask. Now that I have the internet though, I can make frighteningly scary dishes like "Rats baked in Blood" and "Severed fingers with Toxic Sauce". The kids are loving it. I'm loving it.
All you Americans out there, enjoy the season! Enjoy the candy! And most of all be grateful you have an awesome, frivolous, teeth rotting holiday all your own!