Sorrow Over The Death Of A Shrew And The Joy Over An Inchworm's Visit

As we get older we somehow lose the "feelings" we have for other "life" on earth. Remember the amazement we use to feel when a butterfly landed on our hand as children or the sadness of a firefly who lost its wing and couldn't fly? Yesterday I had the joy of watching the full circle of emotions felt by kids for the things of nature.
Yesterday I was watching my friends little boy so we took the day off from school. Roosie and J (my friends son) spent the day outside enjoying the perfect Spring weather. BabyGirl and I were putting together treat bags for our youth groups Easter get together. We were sitting at the kitchen table so we could spread out the candy and keep track of what we were doing. Imagine my surprise when in walks Roosie and J carrying a plastic hoe; on which lay a very small and very dead shrew. I don't know why they couldn't holler for me to come outside and look at it but maybe the heartbreak they were feeling overrode any thought of the prudence of carrying a dead shrew into the kitchen. And they were heartbroken. They found it in our driveway without any obvious sign of death although we do have a cat and lots of territorial nesting birds right now. Its demise could have come about in any number of ways. The point being they were so sad over the death of this little shrew. It made me remember how sensitive I was to the suffering and death of animals when I was little. My heart would break all the time it seemed for I grew up a farm girl. They buried the little shrew with all the proper trappings, even a headstone. All day they meandered around the yard yet they came back to the shrew's grave many many times. They carried such a sad countenance all afternoon. But lo and behold joy was not so far away . While playing under the crab apple trees, J became the host of a much beloved inchworm. All sadness slipped away as for over an hour this new "buddy" entertained and tickled. I enjoyed playing with inchworms as a kid but I don't think they ever brought me this much joy. It was refreshing to see the love that kids have for God's creation, to see the joy on their faces when for a little while they are "loved" by a new friend. While watching the kids play in the yard I saw another inchworm sliding down from the box elder in front of the porch. I bet he was hoping to get in on all the fun . Blessings! ~ Nikki