When my daughter was small, she was afraid of the dark. At bedtime, she said, “There’s a monster in my closet.” This is the same kid who was scared of her grandmother’s slippers because they had button eyes that watched her. Every night we went through the same ritual. I had to go to her room and reassure her there was nothing to harm her. Many nights I laid beside her until she dozed off, stuffed animals tucked in close to protect her from those imagined hairy beasts with sharp teeth and long claws.
A little girl’s protectors from the monster in the closet
One night I held her hand as we went to her room. I turned on the light and we walked to the bed. We got down on the floor and pulled up the bedspread to make sure nothing was hiding under the bed. Nothing there. I turned on a flashlight. Still nothing there. Then we went to the closet and slowly opened the door. No monsters there. When she was convinced she was safe, she hopped in the bed. I told her, “You see, there is nothing here in the dark that isn’t here in the light.”
That is easier said than believed. I remember being afraid of the dark and running as fast as I could to my parents’ bedroom in the middle of the night. It seemed there was always a monster right on my heels. Somehow, I always managed to jump on the bed just before the creature pounced. I’m sure my dad used similar words on me to scare away the critters.
Sometimes I still catch myself taking a quick glance behind me down a dark hallway. I walk a little bit faster just in case there’s a monster about to spring.
it was going to the outhouse I didn’t like. Nothing to do with the dark I just tried not to have to go. It’s fun the things that trigger our memories & I sure enjoy yours.