Awe

The preschool my girls attend - and where I work - is part of an orthodox Jewish synagogue. Out of respect, Orthodox Jews traditionally do not speak or write God's name (which is why you will sometimes see it written as "G-d") and in our synagogue we teach the children to say "Ha-shem" (literally, "the name").

Over the weekend our synagogue had a big fancy event and when we arrived on Monday there were several large exotic flower arrangements left over from the centerpieces. I was practically ordered to take one home.

It looked kind of silly on my cluttered kitchen table, surrounded by baskets of laundry and lunch bags waiting to be cleaned out and re-packed. It held Anna's fascination though and she sat gently touching the long fronds and brightly colored petals as the usual litany of questions spewed forth. I did my best to answer but I know very little about plants and flowers. I really was an awful biology student.

Finally Anna declares that the plants feel fake. I reminded her that they were not fake and that is why we put water in the vase.

"Are they really real Mommy?"
"Yes."
"REALLY real? NOT fake?"
"Really real honey."
"Wow. Hashem is good!"