At night sometimes I wake up scared. I don’t know why, or what scares me, but I feel like running as fast as I can. That’s when I scream and scream because I don’t know what to do with those big feelings. They are just so…big. And they make me feel really little. Momma and Daddy always come running to find me and help me. They hug me and rub my back. They squeeze the scared right out of me with big arms and soft songs. They always tell me the same thing: “We will keep you safe and sound…you are safe, you are loved.” I guess it is what big people do for little people.

Sometimes when those big feelings come I try to grab a stuffed animal, or my lovey, or just shut my eyes tight. But nothing makes it all go away like Momma and Daddy. When we go somewhere new and I feel that scary stuff coming up, I tell myself (and Momma and Daddy in case they forget) “you will keep me safe and sound. You will keep me safe and sound.” They always smile at me to tell me yes.

I think Lyla gets scared at night too, and when we see someone, anyone, new. So I tell her she’s okay. She is safe and sound. But she just doesn’t get it. Such a baby.

Momma was asking about a cemetery the other day that she wants to go take pictures in, and Daddy started clearing his throat. I already knows that means he is upset. He thinks, and honestly I do too, that Momma’s thing with cemetery pictures is strange…and scary. But she is kinda strange. In a good way, I guess. But still strange. I watched him and could tell he needed a hug. He said he would drive, but stay in the car. I knew it…he DID need a hug, like I do when I have big scary feelings.

I walked up to him, grabbed his hand, and said, “It’s okay Daddy. You are fine. I will keep you safe and sound. I love you too.”   Both Momma and Daddy scooped me up and seemed a little sad because their eyes leaked a little. But they had big smiles.  

Well, we got to go on that field adventure for Momma to take cemetery pictures. And I kept Daddy safe and sound. And he kept me safe and sound. Even big people need to be taken care of sometimes.