Amelie is working through a host of new fears. Usually pretty fearless (except when it comes to separating from Mommy at church), this is unusual for her even though it's a common stage at her age.
It started a few nights ago when she and Elizabeth and my mom were playing "Rain," one of Elizabeth's favorite games from years ago. In it, Elizabeth and my mom act out a real storm they got caught in while on a walk. Elizabeth was having a fantastic time replaying it, but Amelie (who at age 3 1/2 probably doesn't even remember a real storm) was too scared to enjoy it. Discussing it later, Mom and I remembered that Elizabeth originally begged to act it out over and over again to work through her own fears of that night.
Then today, we ran into new fear after new fear. At the library today, the loudspeaker announced that the library would close in half an hour. Amelie freaked out, sobbing wildly, petrified that we would be stuck in the library.
While reading about the Easter story this afternoon, we had talked about the earthquake that rocked Jerusalem when Jesus died. Amelie remembered that at bedtime, and I had to reassure her that there are no earthquakes in Minnesota.
Then (while she was supposed to be sleeping) she looked out the window and saw a bug and got all upset. I went in to kill the bug, and found it was on the other side of the glass.
And yet, this fearful child is my fearless girl who shoots down twisty slides at the park, balances precariously on walls and furniture, runs headlong down hills, and laughs when hit in the face with a ball.
It's an interesting age.
I wonder how many things I waste time and energy worrying about when the whole time, God knows that they won't hurt me and will never happen. May I be as patient with Amelie's fears as He is with mine.
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