Actress Goldie Hawn explains how she has dealt with young Kate Hudson’s simple but difficult question on the existence of God.
It is natural for every child to be very inquisitive especially during their formative years. Most of their questions can be considered as simple, but there will be queries that are just too hard for parents to answer and explain no matter how simple they are. In her recent appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Network, Goldie Hawn explains how she has dealt with young Kate Hudson’s simple but difficult question on the existence of God.
The 4-year-old Kate asked her mother “Mommy, is God my cousin?” Religious parents might respond yes or a slightly different answer like the idea of God being the Holy Father. While for atheists or the nonreligious, they may describe God is nonexistent, or an imaginary character in the Bible.
But instead of defining God as a person, Hawn wanted Kate to understand that God is an encompassing experience that should be felt. “I said, “Well… I think God is everywhere, really… To feel God is what’s really important.” She continues saying that “It’s a feeling of joy and love and well-being.”
In the end, Hawn stressed the fact that parents can actually learn from their children. “Your kids teach you so much… Because it’s kind of what I thought but until somebody asks you what you think, sometimes you don’t know. Sometimes you can’t hear yourself or even your own thoughts.”
Today, the Hollywood actress considers herself as a Jewish by principle but Buddhist in practice. She acknowledges her mother’s influence to her belief: “Mum is a Buddhist. She has taught me to look at life as lessons to be learned: we all experience love and disappointment, laughter and pain. Her philosophy has stopped me from becoming cynical, which squashes the good things. If you focus on positivity and honesty, you’ll be happy.”
Hudson has not been vocal about her religion or beliefs although she explicitly supports certain positions on politics and religion like the issues on anti-Semitism and gay rights though her various roles and appearances.