My youngest greatgrandson is almost three years old. He is a frisky, active guy with a great body, and a very large supply of energy. In the manner of a young human emerging into boyhood, he is practicing not being afraid and exalts in the joy of attack. A couple of days ago, after lunch and feeling fine, he caught my eye and growled a deep, fraternal growl/howl, followed by a big smile of invitation and deviltry. Usually, I try to find my appropriately deep answering sound and join in a lupine meeting.
But this time, it struck me that many other skills and parts are needed in life besides the jubilation of aggression. So, trying for a change in tone that might enrich, I said in a calm voice,"You know, sometime you are going to scare me." (That is not an empty statement. A growl from him in 15 years may well not be something I am any longer equipped to answer.) He ignored my statement. I'm guessing he didn't know what to do with it. I repeated it, asking again, "If I get scared, will you help me?"
He stopped leaping about and came and calmly looked at me for several moments. Then, he said,"I'm just a kid." I felt like saying,"Honey, we are all just kids" but that would not be true nor helpful. Then, he said,"I am afraid of spiders but I just roar at them." I agreed that roaring is a very good response to spiders.
Finally, he said,"I am afraid of tigers." I said he was wise to be afraid of tigers and that they are very big. I admitted I was afraid of them too but I explained that they live very far away and that extremely deep oceans barricade them.
It is exquisitely charming to see what nature and a young mind do, isn't it?
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
But this time, it struck me that many other skills and parts are needed in life besides the jubilation of aggression. So, trying for a change in tone that might enrich, I said in a calm voice,"You know, sometime you are going to scare me." (That is not an empty statement. A growl from him in 15 years may well not be something I am any longer equipped to answer.) He ignored my statement. I'm guessing he didn't know what to do with it. I repeated it, asking again, "If I get scared, will you help me?"
He stopped leaping about and came and calmly looked at me for several moments. Then, he said,"I'm just a kid." I felt like saying,"Honey, we are all just kids" but that would not be true nor helpful. Then, he said,"I am afraid of spiders but I just roar at them." I agreed that roaring is a very good response to spiders.
Finally, he said,"I am afraid of tigers." I said he was wise to be afraid of tigers and that they are very big. I admitted I was afraid of them too but I explained that they live very far away and that extremely deep oceans barricade them.
It is exquisitely charming to see what nature and a young mind do, isn't it?
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
