Things That Go Bump in the Night

Our childhood fears that came in the night somehow morph as we grow older. They don't disappear. They simply change form.

Remember when you were tucked in at night, then your parents turned off the light and... left. You. Alone. In the dark. You, me, we were all petrified to stick out a toe-- any body part-- from under the covers! Some of you lucky souls got a night light. Not me. Adults think you can sleep better with the lights out, right? My chief fear wasn't the monster in the closet; mine was under the bed. I can still remember that hideous little monster from the movie Chuckie with his gnashing teeth and ghastly grin zipping out of nowhere to stab the first foot onto the floor! Then when the first adult came in to turn on the light, of course he morphed back into the plastic harmless doll he seemingly had always been.

The adult version is no less scary. It has nothing to do with dolls or scary movies. Unfortunately, things that go bump in the night for adults are based on things far more real. And we can't turn on the light and make them disappear. They are the things we lie awake dreading, though they haven't happened... they might. And, sometimes, that's enough to keep us tucked under our covers, wishing them away. It's the annual visit to the doctor-- what visions we bring. It's the worries we have as parents... countless as the grains of sand. It's a million different things that cause pain in life. I choose to join those who know they are not in control in this life, and repeat with them one of the most powerful mantras I know.

Higher Power than us, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference.