"The Gods"

Random conversations with Ruth often turn round and round inside my mind for days.  There's something about the way she slips words into phrases that ...

well...

...make me stop and think.


Yesterday, I jokingly asked Ruth why she made it so cold outside.  She put her hands on her hips, gave me a little of her trademark Ruthietude, and shrieked in her high pitched voice (for good measure), "I didn't make it cold outside!"

"Well, if you didn't do it then WHO did?" I demanded.

Her hands stayed on her hips, her chin went -almost- to her chest, and her eyes peered over the rim of those suddenly stern black glasses as she answered me in the most serious (are you kidding me) voices... "The Weather Gods."

Then she picked up her book and went right back to reading as though I'd never bothered her with such trivial talk.

This afternoon, Ruth and I were packing up the car for a trip to a friend's house.  As she gathered up her peacock, her puppy, and her longhorn named Bevo she stopped and asked, "Do you believe if you make wishes on stars they come true?"

(we've had this talk lots and lots of times before)

"Yes," I tell her as I attempt to shove a diaper and a baby bottle down into my purse without spilling formula everywhere.

(she looks relieved)

"Me too!" she said, audibly sighing.

I was still trying to get the diaper and the baby bottle down into my purse (you'd think I'd know to throw this stuff into a diaper bag by now) and was only half listening (because I'm a horrible mother) so rather than say something crazy insightful I glanced up at my wide-eyed, beaming daughter and said, "Yeah?"

To which she said, "Yeah!  Because stars hear your wishes and the stars are very close to the Gods who make things happen...  So you should make wishes on the stars because your wishes are heard and the Gods can decide if they should be granted or not."

(I really ought to pay more attention to her)

(no...really)

(I also think we should pick up a few more books on mythology - apparently she digs that stuff)

Ruth may not realize it now but she and I've been talking to and wishing on stars for a long, long time...

And I'm not entirely sure who's responsible for granting the wishes but if she's any indication - then wishes certainly do come true.

Love,
me