Episode 14 - Eli Steinsapir (Age 10) On Seeing What’s There Instead Of What’s Missing

Children can serve as our greatest teachers if we let them. My guest in this special episode is my ten-year-old son, Eli William Steinsapir. A boy with the sweetest smile and a glint of playful mischievousness in his eye, Eli brings sunshine everywhere he goes. If you met him, you’d never guess what he’s been through. Eli lived the first years of his life in the dark shadow of my battle against breast cancer. Just as our lives were beginning to stabilize, the Covid-19 pandemic hit. After months of sheltering in place and attending Zoom preschool, Eli’s favorite person in the world, his older sister, Molly, went on a bike ride with her best friend one morning and never came home. Molly died in the hospital two weeks later. Four years later, our town of Pacific Palisades burned down, including Eli’s elementary school.Despite these immense losses, Eli views the world with positivity. He sees what’s there instead of what’s missing. Eli has a gentle spirit, always kind and quick to apologize when he makes a mistake. During our conversation, we spoke about his memories of the Palisades fire, the terrible stress of watching our town burn, and what it was like to go back afterwards. Eli also shared some of his dreams of Molly where they visit inside of old memories, and the secret comfort of reading her books at night when the lights are supposed to be out.Our conversation was also lighthearted and funny. Eli offered his strong opinion that we all should have a four-day school and work week and life advice on thoroughly enjoying each Saturday, the best day of the week. Eli is currently writing and illustrating his first book, which he’s calling “A Kid’s Life.” Expect to see it on your bookstore shelves in the future!Connect with Kaye Steinsapir: Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram: @teammollyofficial Substack: Transforming Pain Into PurposeThe Molly Steinsapir Foundation