“Baby Bear”, Daddy asked, “do you understand what we’re telling you?”

“I think so Daddy Bear,” answered Arik. Though Arik did not understand everything Daddy was explaining, somehow he knew that he was the little boy they were talking about.

Arik then asked, “Did I live in that young woman’s tummy before I was born Mommy?”

“Yes Baby Bear”, answered Mommy. “She lovingly carried you until the time God planned for you to be born and come home to Daddy and I”.

“But how could I live in your hearts at the same time”, Arik asked?

“God’s marvelous works are not always understood”, answered Daddy. “Remember how we learned about all the different ways God creates the animal families? Well, God also makes people families in different ways. The wonderful thing is that no matter how God chooses to create families it always comes from His great wisdom and love”.

Then Arik’s Daddy asked, “Baby Bear, do you love Casey”?

“Oh yes, Daddy Bear, this much”, Arik said with his arms out-stretched as far as they would go.

“But where do you love Casey”, Daddy asked?

Arik just looked at Daddy. Then he looked at Casey. He’d never been asked this before and he was thinking really hard. Finally, a little smile began to appear on Arik’s face. All of a sudden he stood up and began jumping up and down. Casey started jumping up and down too.

“In my heart, Daddy! I love Casey in my heart”.

“That’s right, Baby Bear, just like Mommy and I love you in our hearts”. And in a mysterious but very wonderful way, when you love someone this much a part of them lives in your heart, just like you live in ours”.

“Mommy, do you and Daddy love me that much”?

© Mark R Schneider