underblanket

I remember when I was a little child there was a simple solution for being scared: hiding beneath blankets. Whenever there was trouble, I could very easily dive under some covers and everything would somehow be alright. Actually, I believe that one of the most frightening things I ever saw was the opening sequence to The Incredible Hulk, the part where the Hulk (Lou Ferrigno) would growl straight into the camera. Even though he was a good-guy, I would find myself either running behind a piece of furniture or pulling a blanket over my head. For some reason, the whole situation was resolved with an "out-of-sight; out-of-mind" reaction. I believed that if I didn't see the danger, then it could not hurt me.

Since I was a child, there have only been a handful of things that have scared me in the same way: 1) certain scenes from M. Night Shyamalan movies, 2) church sanctuaries in the dark, 3) a dream in which John Kerry won the election, 4) a certain television show I watched about a 'haunted' house (hey. . .it was very well done). So, while I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to watch this 'haunting' program the other night it plants some seed in my mind about spirits. Afterward, while trying to find my way through the dark back to bed I couldn't help think of some of the representations of spirits that were depicted in that t.v. show - and suddenly figured I better get to the bed quickly!

Why? Because on some level I figure I've not totally outgrown the childish notion that hiding under the covers would somehow make everything better. But the whole notion seem so absurd upon reflection. I know that even though I might hide from any potential danger beneath a blanket, if there did happen to be somebody after me it wouldn't take much to get through my 'protection.' I suppose that I am acting out of instinct.

In the end, I am not embarrassed of such behavior (even though I might hear about it from some of my readers) because it is a reaction that assures me I have not totally grown up. Real-life comes close to this: one can easily be scared. It still might be child-like instinct to run. . .perhaps into the waiting arms of a Father.