War of the Worlds

Anyone with kids has probably comforted them when they have had nightmares. It's ok. Daddy's here. Don't be afraid. Fear can be a strong motivator. It can stop us in our tracks, make us back up, or we can move forward.

Remember the War of the Worlds? Based on H. G. Wells sf story of Martian invasion, it was a radio drama performed October 30, 1938. Apparently, some people thought we were actually being invaded by Martians. There was, to some degree, panic. How intense is conjecture. Some people fell for a radio play, not even a hoax. There is of course a conspiracy theory that it was a psychological warfare experiment. Whatever it was, the result was some panic and disorientation among some people.

People are more easily controlled when afraid. That is, if one allows fear to paralyze. Holding a child and murmuring, 'don't be afraid' means one of two things to me. We either want a child to be safe and not worry. We want a child to forget what scares them. Or, we want that child to face fear. To remember what frightens, to confront it and let it go. That is safety to me and my children.

When a situation arises, look it in the eye. Don't be afraid. When something in the back of the mind gnaws at emotion, stare it down. Be ready to fight. Move forward. Fight fear with awareness! Don't be afraid! (More on this soon)