'Did he die because of me?' The first sorrow my second son experienced
The fifth (or to be precise, the first pet) member of our family who arrived the other day.
This is the continuation of the story about the caterpillar my second son brought home from the children's center🐛
If you don't know about our caterpillar yet, please check it out here👇
At first,
'Wait, you're bringing it home!?'😳
'And it's going to turn into a moth!?'
I, who am not good with bugs, was making a huge fuss inside my heart.
Even so,
'We have a new family member!'
I couldn't win against my second son's face as he smiled happily,
so Mom decided to watch over it from faaaar away.
That caterpillar🐛
Every day, my second son would
'Good morning!'
'Are you going to eat your leaves?'
'Are you doing well today?'
He would talk to it, feed it cabbage, and take care of it so very carefully.
However, about two days ago, it stopped moving, and its color started changing from green to a light brown? Or maybe gray?
Then, with an anxious look on his face, my second son asked,
'Did he die because of me?'
he muttered sadly 😢
Seeing his face, my eldest son said,
Maybe it's going to turn into a chrysalis.
Why don't you watch it a little longer?
he said gently.
Okay. I'll do that.
my second son replied.
Actually...
At this point, both I and my eldest son,
(It's probably... dead...)
thought to ourselves.
But,
Because of me...
I couldn't bring myself to tell the truth to my second son, who was blaming himself.
And then today.
My second son came home from school.
I'm going to check on the caterpillar!
A little while later,
Big brother, the caterpillar isn't moving, can you take a look?
Then my eldest son,
The caterpillar died, didn't it?
he told me gently.
I also
asked him, Shall we make a grave together?
but perhaps he wanted to take care of it himself until the very end.
I'll do it by myself!
he said, and while shedding tears, he worked hard to build a grave.
Seeing his younger brother like that,
There was a caterpillar at the children's center today too.
Let's bring one home again.
I think the caterpillar was happy that you took care of it.
my eldest son said, desperately trying to encourage him.
I also
said to him,
I'm sure it was happy.
I'm sure it was happy that you took such good care of it.
But,
the tears streaming from his red, swollen eyes wouldn't stop😭
Of course they wouldn't.
That's only natural.
I'm so happy our family has grown 😆
He was talking about it so happily, after all.
He talked to it every day,
took care of it every day,
and cherished it so very much.
It's lonely, isn't it?
Even after that,
I have no appetite...
he said, eating only a little dinner.
Even after he said goodnight
and got into bed,
perhaps he remembered,
sob, sob... 😢
This time, my second son
experienced saying goodbye to a living creature he had cared for himself for the first time.
That life has an end.
That the more you cherish something, the sadder it is to part with it.
And,
that is precisely why the time we are alive is so precious.
The tiny, tiny little caterpillar,
I feel like they taught my second son something important.
And me, too.
“Absolutely impossible‼️”
That’s what I thought about the moth larva, little caterpillar.
I’m sorry.
And,
thank you for teaching my second son something important.
Even though it was for a short time,
you were the fifth member (plus one) of our family.
Little caterpillar.
May you rest in peace.
Mom is still watching over you from far, far away🐛🌿
Thank you for reading until the end🐸
A “like” or “follow” would be encouraging🥰
I look forward to your continued support🙇♀️