Mattress Over Mind

“Alert!  Alert!”

You said this as you got ready for bed last night and looked in the mirror (It’s interesting to  see what our emotions look like, right?). You seemed to be practicing the look of ‘apprehension’, like you practice your air kisses and winks.  As if you were practicing an essential social skill.   From  your stolen glances over my shoulder at my Facebook feed to the forgotten, cranked-up car stereo blaring out the news, “...children murdered….” as I turn the ignition, it surely must appear that the whole world is on the brink of destruction.

We don’t watch T.V. at our house.  We watch Netflix only.  This means that we control what you see at home, to a large extent.  That has been  your Mother and I’s intention.  We want the home to feel secure to you, a safe and cuddly place.  I hope it does, though I am not sure the video cameras and alarm system add or subtract fear in the ‘comfort equation’.  This sphere of control is very limited, I have found out.  The center of the sphere is in the closet, where the Wi-Fi router is.  Outside of that, as soon as we pull out of the driveway….well... it appears as if almost anything goes in this wacky, wacky world.

I remember when you were four, and your protective and thoughtful Fother took you for our first fother/son haircut at a real barber.  You know, the one without the ‘car chairs’ and with all the ‘dark skinned guys.’  Everything was going well, your haircut complete.  You sat on the chair and watched me get my haircut.  Then you saw the television.  Then I saw the television.  I figured with so little hair to cut, I would be done in minute or so.  I neglected to predict the inordinate amount of ‘over buzzing’ and body hair removal  my barber would feel it necessary to augment my slightly unnecessary haircut with.  You then saw one of the most horrifying scenes television has ever given us: The Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris.  Certainly one of the most confusing thing a four year old could see.  I literally laughed out loud at the futility of  your parent’s efforts, as the gunmen walked down the road killing people. The screen displayed it’s wide spectrum of rage and you openly soaked it up. I laughed with disbelief as the barber stared, with you, in solemnity.

This world has so many scary things in it.  So many opportunities for you to give up on it, on us and on the whole thing.  When this happens, I have only one piece of advice: take a nap.  Perhaps a wiser person would urge you to meditate and touch your Godliness within.  “What is so great about a nap?” you may ask. It stops you from thinking.  Regardless of what adults may tell you, thinking will not bring you peace or joy.  It will not alleviate the fear.

“Stop thinking, and end your problems.” -Lao Tzu, 550 BCE

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”  -Jesus

“Take a nap.  I always feel better after a  nap”  -Dad

Turn off the “Alarm, Alarm!” clock and check out for a bit. After you are well rested, maybe then you can work on creating some more sweetness in this world of ours.

I hope this helps.