::Naming Dragons::

Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of dragons. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of dragons..."

~G.K.Chesterton {paraphrase}

Life is full of dragons. They are breathing fire down our necks in ways seen, unseen and somewhere in between. By default, we fear them. Reflexively, we turn from them at a run. Parentally, we fortify our children against them, shielding their eyes from claw and teeth. Unless, of course, we don't.

Trouble has been brewing, and not the lurking, stick-to-the-shadows kind. It is the kind of trouble that has weight and presence, passing through walls and filtering through avenues of word and deed until it finds us. Now that it has, I've had to make a choice regarding the telling of tales, so to speak. Do I look into questioning eyes and give vague non-answers? Or do I name the dragon and hope that by doing so the fire in it's belly goes cold and its claws retract?

I guess what I'm saying is there's a bit of Chesteron in me; scary tales do not give our children their first idea of fear. {They already know what fear is.}What scary tales give our children is their first clear idea of the possible defeat of fear.

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
~Deuteronomy 31:6