"Today we will be talking about the ancient Japanese method of Yoga…" Splinter was watching his favorite show on Japanese techniques and methods for both the mind and the body. As he was watching TV, he was unaware that his younger son, Raphael, seemed to be watching him from the stairs. Splinter left ear twitched as he heard his son yawing as quietly as possible.
"Why are you up my son?" Splinter said as he put the TV on mute.
"How did you know I was here?" he asked coming down from the stairs.
"It is simple, Raphael, you were yawning." He said as he turned towards the stairs. Raphael was the one child who felt to energetic to sleep. Splinter often had trouble getting him to bed, so he would either put him back in his room or serve him milk to sleep faster…but nothing seemed to work.
"But I was being as quiet as possible, Master Splinter." Raphael said sitting next to Splinter.
"Why are you up my son? You should be in bed."
"I…uh…can't sleep. Yeah that's it."
"That is always yours excuse my son…" Splinter looked as his son's eyes, Raphael seemed worried about something. Placing his hand on his son 's shoulder, Raphael looked up at his master and tilted his head. "What is troubling you?"
"Uh…nothing." He said as he turned away with rosy cheeks.
"Raphael…" Raph sighed and turned to his father without looking at him.
"Well…ya see…I was reading this weird book last night and it said that when people die another person is born-"
"Where…"
"Did someone die so I could be born?"
Splinter stopped before he could continue his sentence, he never really thought of that. Bringing his son closer to him, he thought on that question and sighed. Then he got an idea, "Get your coat my son, but you must be silent about it."
"Why…where are we-"
"Shhh…go and come back here."
Raphael nodded and did what his father said. Retrieving his coat, he and Splinter walked in the sewer tunnels and went up a manhole that lead to the park. Scooping the area, splinter carried his son to a quiet spot and sat on the cool grass.
"Why are we here, Master Splinter?"
Splinter smiled and told him to look up; and he did, there where so many stars in the sky. The big dipper, the little dipper, Orion's belt, all of them were up there.
"You see my son, when a star dies another is born, and when a person dies a child is born. It is all a part of life."
"Like in the Lion King."
"Hm?"
"Yeah, they called it…the circle of life. When an animal dies, it become one with the earth and give new life to another animal."
"That's right." Splinter smiled, he felt his son understood more than he.
"So who ever died, gave me life?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"So when you grow older, you will be able to give life to someone else."
"Oh…" Raphael looked at his father and asked. "Would you give your life, so another would live?"
Splinter paused for a moment and folded his arms to think, "If it means giving life to another son like you…then yes." Raphael smiled and hugged his father tightly, he felt so special to have a father just like Splinter.
"Oh, my son…you and your brother's mean the world to me…I would give the world to you if possible, but for now, I can only give you…" Looking down he sees his son fast asleep in his arms. He chuckled, "my love." Giving him a light kiss on his head, he lifted his son and returned to the sewers.