This morning I was out washing my car in front of my drive way. The sun was just beginning to come over the roof tops, the birds were chirping and everything felt fresh. About half-way through I began hearing car engines start in the neighborhood, a few of my neighbors stopped and said ‘good morning’ on their way out – we made some small talk.
I went back to finishing my task…when out of no where I heard the anguish cries of a little boy:
MOM!! THERE IS A BUG IN THE HOUSE!!! — MOM!! THERE IS A BUG IN THE HOUSE!! — THERE IS A BUG IN THE HOUSE!!!!
I stopped to observe this: from my view point I saw a little boy standing in front of his home, door wide open. The mother was in the car, engine running ready to drive out and by my observation, she was waiting for her son to close the door and enter the car. Little boy screaming and frustrated …would not drop his plea of alarm. He stood there with his fresh white polo shirt, blue shorts, white socks pulled up nice and even….waving his little red lunch box screaming with passion and frustration: MOM!! THERE IS A BUG IN THE HOUSE!!
At this point George, (my husband had walked out to join me in the car cleaning)…and I looked at him and said, “See? There is a real concern there.” My interest was peaked because I wanted to see what was going to happen next. Well, there was stern yelling by the parent requesting the child to close the door and get in the car…which was exactly what took place.
As I observed the car drive away, I thought of the child’s dilemma and how at one time my little boy had a similar fear…and how my reaction was different. I recall how with my situation I had taken the time to embrace my son’s concern, I would stand with him ( sometimes it would be like sit down on the ground for what felt like hours…) and observe the little critter going about its own little business, and if it would be found in the home I would grab a sheet of paper and work the bug on the paper and walk it outdoors…. watching the tension erase from my sons face was priceless and more so… with patience watching him slowly realize that there is nothing to fear but the fear of being afraid.
Honoring those we love is so important, especially those little ones in our lives.
There is a valid concern in a little persons life…imagine? That little boy will be tormented all day while at his summer camp thinking there is a bug in his house. He may be thinking how the bug may end up in his room…on his bed. That little bug invader might pillage through their food cabinet and create mayhem and destruction! Perhaps, the little boy was in protection mode. All that little boy wanted to do was save the home from an intrusive invader!
Or perhaps, he was genuinely afraid.
ps: Learn more about insects – Click.
What fears silly as they may have been did you overcome?
Daisy Says: When we face our fears, we grow.
