From planning and listing, we wandered onto the topics of the Pope's imminent homegoing and what a conclave is like, the short reign of John Paul I, and the Terri Schiavo case. Meandering onto the thin ice of the absence of true checks and balances anymore, they suddenly began an energetic and heated (though polite) debate on regulatory overreach as it might apply to the proposed FDA regulation of vitamin and herbal-supplement manufacture.
These are not the most politically involved of young women. These sorts of debates haven't taken place that much within these walls since my son married and left to have them with his new wife. I was totally charmed and almost spoiled my poker face with a big grin. I speedily left the room so I wouldn't yield to the temptation to put in my $.02 and break the momentum. They're still hard at talk, though I think the late hour will eventually win out.
Family life is fun, especially when kids become capable of scintillating conversation with enough good sense to back it up. Now, off to bed with me. Someone has to exercise a little prudence around here.
Good for you! It takes a generous heart to shut up and let them explore big thoughts like that.