The Inner Child: Afraid

What is your earliest memory of being afraid? Take yourself back in time.

How old were you? Four? Six?

See if you can remember the scene, what you were doing, who was there. What it felt like; where you were.

What happened?

How did you react?

I would love to hear your story (that's what Comments are for!)

If you could go back in time and be there with that child, what would you do?

Would you take her into your arms and comfort her? Of course you would. Do it now in your own heart and mind. Comfort her now.

It all starts back then, doesn't it? How we manage our fears. Who teaches us to manage our fears? What we taught? What are we teaching our own children now?  We are teaching them something, that's for sure.  Are we teaching them a healthy approach??

Big questions.

For me: I was six years old. I was playing in the woods behind our back yard. I loved to go back there and explore. Three boys came running up to me (from the housing development on the other side of the woods). One had a pocket knife. "Pull down your panties," he said.

I ran back into my house. That was it. That's the whole story. They didn't come after me.

My mother and little sister were home, but I didn't say anything to anyone about what had happened, even though I was scared out of my mind.

And so it began with me. Being afraid, and not saying anything.

I recently listened to a Bubble Hour and heard the guest tell her "story." So powerful. Like mine, it began with parents who set a tone for keeping silent and holding it all inside.

That's practically a whole generation of parents, isn't it?  Are we doing any better?

I believe that in abstinence, we have a choice: we can abstain and just "white knuckle" it, which is the present day equivalent of holding it all in, or we can abstain and go to these painful places and learn healthy ways to comfort ourselves....

Mere