Toddler

Painting done by Brian Kershisnik

Taught by a Toddler

I had always heard that one could learn many things from children, but not until we had a very precious experience with one of our own did I realize how true this could be.


When our first child, Alan, was just past two, his great-aunt Lida passed away. I had been worrying about how I was going to tell Alan about death. My husband and I had taken him to see Lida once or twice a week, so there had to be some explanation for the termination of our visits.


Mustering all my courage, for I was new at this sort of thing, I sat Alan on the kitchen stool and drew up a chair. “Alan, honey,” I said, “Aunt Lida has gone back to Heavenly Father.”


Before I could say anything more, he asked, “Who took her?” I stumbled around for an answer, and then I said, “It must have been someone she knew.”


Immediately his little face lit up as if he recognized a familiar situation. He said with a happy smile, “Oh, I know what it’s like. Grandpa Clark brought me when I came to you. He’ll probably take me back when I die.”


Alan then proceeded to describe his grandfather Clark, my father, who had been dead nearly twelve years. Alan had never even seen a picture of him. But he told me how much he loved his grandfather and how good his grandfather had been to him. Alan indicated that my father had helped to teach him and prepare him to come to earth.


Immediately after this occassion, Alan’s father talked to him and Alan repeated the same experience to him. Alan later told his grandmother Clark about the experience. For several months, he talked about these things as a happy, natural memory of real experience. Then, suddenly, the memory was erased and Alan did not know what we were talking about when we discussed it.


However, he had taught us some great truths when he was but a toddler.


–Betty Clark Ruff, Instructor, “My Toddler Taught Me About Preexistence and Death,” February 1963, p. 61.Reprinted in Coming From the Light, by Sarah Hinz