Tales of Times Gone By

Giving Courage

Mommy, I’m scared to walk down the hallway to my bedroom.

Do you need me to give you courage?

Yes.

I gently take my son’s hand in my own and tell him to close his eyes. Then I run the tips of my fingers from the top of his hand to the inside of his elbow. I do this many times. I tell my son that his courage is filling up and that I’m just about through. When it is full, I tell him to open his eyes. I touch his nose to turn on his courage.

This went on for a couple of weeks; giving the courage and turning it on so my son could take that frightening trip down the dark, menacing hallway. One day, my son decided he was going to give himself courage. He ran his own fingertips up his arm until his courage meter was full. Then he turned it on by touching his nose.

This was a snippet of memory I wrote back when the Boy was around three or four.  Eventually, he didn't need that courage anymore, but he still remembers it. It's nice to know that I was able to give my son exactly what he needed at the exact time he needed it.  This doesn't happen very often.  Most of the time I miss the mark - a lot.  But for this brief moment in time, I did exactly what I was supposed to at the exact time I was supposed to do it.

This is one of my fondest Mommy Memories. 

Until next time...