As mentioned earlier, I am a great fan of C.S. Lewis and recently acquired a small book of his letters to children fans who wrote him after he published books from his Narnia series. While Lewis gives readers lots of looks into his mind in his books, it is always neat to see what a person is like on more personal correspondence. It has endeared me to Lewis even further to see the time and earnestness he invested into responding to these young readers, who many authors might have simply ignored. Below is one of my favorite letters so far!
[When Laurence, a nine-year-old American boy, became concerned that he loved Aslan more than Jesus, his mother wrote to C.S. Lewis in care of Macmillan Publishing Company. Just ten days later to her surprise and delight, she received this answer to her son's questions.]
6 May 1955
Dear Mrs K,
Tell Laurence from me, with my love:
1.) Even if he was loving Aslan more than Jesus (I'll explain in a moment why he can't really be doing this) he would not be an idol worshiper. If he was an idol worshiper he'd be doing it on purpose, whereas he's now doing it because he can't help doing it, and trying hard not to do it. But God knows quite well how hard we find it to love Him more than anything or anyone else, and He won't be angry with us as long as we are trying. And He will help us.
2.) But Laurence can't really love Aslan more than Jesus, even if he feels that's what he is doing. For the things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said. So that when Laurence thinks he is loving Aslan, he is really loving Jesus: and perhaps loving Him more than he ever did before. Of course there is one thing Aslan has that Jesus has not - I mean the body of a lion. (But remember, if there are other worlds and they need to be saved and Christ were to save them as He would - He may have taken all sorts of bodies in them which we don't know about.) Now if Laurence is bother because he finds the lion-body seems nicer than the man-body, I don't think he need be bothered at all. God knows all about the way a little boy's imagination works (He made it, after all) and knows at a certain age the idea of talking and friendly animals is very attractive. So I don't think He minds if Laurence likes the Lion-body. And anyway, Laurence will find as he grows older, that feeling (liking the lion-body) will die away of itself, without his taking any trouble about it. So he needn't bother.
3.)If I were Laurence I'd just say in my prayers something like this: "Dear God, if the things I've been thinking and feeling about those books are things you don't like and are bad for me, please take away those feelings and thoughts. But if they are not bad, then please stop me from worrying about them. And help me everyday to love you more in the way that really matters far more than any feelings or imaginations, by doing what you want and growing more like you." That is the sort of thing I think Laurence should say for himself; but it would be kind and Christian-like if he then added, "And if Mr. Lewis has worried any other children by his books or done them any harm, then please forgive him and help him never do it again."
Will this help? I am terribly sorry to have caused you such trouble, and would take it as a great favor if you would write again and tell me how Laurence goes on. I shall of course have him in mt daily prayers. He must be a corker of a boy: I hope you are prepared for the possibility he might turn out a saint. I daresay the saints' mothers have, in some ways, a rough time!
Yours sincerely,
C.S. Lewis
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