physicality

when a child holds the skin of a serpent or the shell of a scorpion in its hand, saying "what a good new pet i have found," we patiently explain to them that what they are holding is not a living thing, merely what these particular ones leave behind when they grow, and that if they see a real one moving, not to try to touch it.

a pity we have no one to tell us this about our own bodies.