Warning philosophical tear jerker

So, a while back Wesley saw a spider in the garage and wanted to catch it in a jar. I let him. He, of course, forgot about it and left it there. This morning while digging around in there he found it. He brought me the jar and said, "Mommy, why doesn't the spider wake up?" I responded, "because its dead." This is a matter of fact thing for me. I said it that way. My little three year old took the jar back into the garage. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I'm looking for spider food." I said, "the spider can't eat the food because his body is broken. He won't wake up." Wesley looked down at his lap and said, "I'm sorry, Mommy. I'm sorry the spider is broken. I don't understand, but I'm sorry." I was silenced by this incredibly sweet and simple respect for life that my little boy expressed. How humbling it is to look into his innocent eyes and realize that I don't understand either. That it isn't a matter of the "ghost in the machine" that makes us move and exist. There is a powerful lifeforce that is so much bigger and more precious than any of us can comprehend. It is what binds us together as a human family and makes us long for the family that is beyond our physical knowledge. I can't believe how much I grow because I am a mother. Daily wonder and excitement is part of being three. I'm so grateful that I can be a part of that.