Does Yoda Wear Pants?

i thought maybe i'd crossed some invisible line of child innocence and reality tonight. some barrier between the two worlds like where kids realize what veal is or when alice cooler guest stars on the muppets (this happened. great, f#cked up episode).

ANYway....i read some news about a teenager getting shot on the street in a gang-related crime. i don't know what i murmured to myself, but my face must have looked stricken, because henry was all curious about what was wrong. i told him that someone was hurt by a gun. it was very sad and upsetting and i feel worried and sad for everyone. 

he asked a bunch of follow-up questions (mostly "why?" to which i repeated, "i don't know.") and then he sat quietly, pensively for a minute. 

and i assumed i'd broken him (again). 

then he says, "i'm darth vader. the force is strong with me." 

and we're BACK! so either he's too young to be long-term traumatized by horrible events, or he'll process it more over time, or he's a sociopath (but he's so sweet....and gives such great hugs!.....)

i don't know how much to shield him. he's really young, but on the other hand, we're all up in the world and the world in us, and i think knowledge can protect and empower, so....? 

but he's got tons of the force within him, so what am i worrying about, really?