Today, we went to the Met to see Buddhism along the Silk Road: 5th–8th Century. SOS really wanted to go. No joke, and he isn’t even 10 years old (soon). When I was 10, you could not tear me away from watching cartoons or fighting with BOB. A museum? Nevehh.
It was a win-win all around, actually. I wanted to walk on a beautiful day (to the museum). DOB was game for something to do on a quiet Sunday. POB was grateful for extreme air conditioning (in the museum).
SOS has so many books and DVDs on the history of the Silk Road. He is fascinated by the spread of religion and culture through the trading corridor as well as the particularly harsh climate conditions along parts of that ancient route. Actually, all of us were interested in the subject matter, in varying degrees. But mostly, the rest of us marveled at our little guy’s enthusiasm: “[Blogger]-mom, let’s pack all of it in today!”
SOS’s knowledge is broad, deep and thoughtful (forget that he is so young). Every now and again, I try to throw in something I learned from my travels in parts of Asia. It is a little like a klutz trying to jump double-dutch.
“Hey, bud, over here!!, look at this awesome wood carving from an entrance to a stupa. A stupa is place of worship that —-”
“[Blogger] Mah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahM, I know that a stupa holds a Buddha relic,” said with more than a little exasperation.
DOB, watching this exchanged, looked at me and smiled. It must be a little fun for him, after all, he and MOB survived three smart-aleck kids.
But then, just then, I heard him telling POB that the Bodhisattva sculptures were all depictions of the Buddha. Aha!!! I could tell that not all Bodhisattva sculptures were in fact depictions of the Buddha. So, I whipped out my iPhone and logged into Professor Google and read that that he was a correct to a point — the term has morphed so that it also refers to people recognized as enlightened in their time, hence very different faces of Bodhisattva.
“Hey, buddy, did you know . . . .”
“Gee, [Blogger]mom, thanks for the info!!!”
Paradise regained.
Sidebar: Until he is old enough to read this blog, he doesn’t have to know how I knew, right?
Then, off to brunch, where parents re-assumed the mantle of superior knowledge and power. SOS looked to us for Talmudic rulings on whether he could eat the home fries that came, unbidden, with his omelet and whether, if he ate some of the home fries, would it count against his weekly French Fries quota.
Paradise affirmed.
And the strong and brave parents, POB and I, deserve a nap.
