You know you are fully grown-up, when your child turns to you at bedtime, asking you to stay near her, because she’s newly afraid of the concept, the spectre of death and dying, because she’s read a book about Hades.
And when she says, “Parents make everything all right,” you hug your child and say, “Yes it will be all right. Go to sleep, sweets. I’ll stay near you till you’re asleep.”
And you sit next to her, holding her hand, reassuring her with a song and soft words, then with companionable silence, till sleep wafts her into sweet oblivion, and you know she’ll sleep until the day comes, and she will be all right, because you made her fears recede.
By Dreamer of Dreams
October 3rd, 2014