I know that I could be wrong about this, and I recognize that there are undoubtedly some children who rarely puzzle about philosophical issues (or about language or theology), but I really think you probably did. The adults in your world didn't notice, and your own memories would be shaped by what was considered important at the time. Jenny and Matt do not remember the conversation they had in the car about bad words. I spend a lot of time with children, and these sorts of conversations among them are fleeting, but they are not so very rare.
I love this story so much. I don't recall ever being that thoughtful as a child.
I know that I could be wrong about this, and I recognize that there are undoubtedly some children who rarely puzzle about philosophical issues (or about language or theology), but I really think you probably did. The adults in your world didn't notice, and your own memories would be shaped by what was considered important at the time. Jenny and Matt do not remember the conversation they had in the car about bad words. I spend a lot of time with children, and these sorts of conversations among them are fleeting, but they are not so very rare.