AC Monster

To my son Tommy,

"When you are done, will you come back and protect me?" you asked in a pathetic voice this morning around 5:30 am.  My heart sank because though I really did have to go potty I was determined to make an exit from your bed and back to mine so I could be well rested for work.

Maryland is in a little bit of a heat wave.  The forecast says hot with more chance of hot on top of hot for the next week or so.  If the weather doesn't get extreme we can survive with just two window shakers, which is what I affectionately call our AC units.  But two nights ago your mother deemed it too hot in your room and moved you in to sleep with us.  She said you were soaked with sweat and miserable.  So last night, after spending a night with a four year old foot in my back, we put in the AC in your window.  You did fine for most of the night but you woke up this morning EARLY to a strange sound and got yourself all weirded out and said it was too loud.

Adjusting to new things in life can be scary.  I can see how waking up to a noisy "monster" in your window when you are four years old can be concerning, but the situation isn't unique to youngsters.  Human nature seems to follow the rule of inertia and resist change at all costs and in the face of any logic.  This is unfortunate because the laws of the universe seem to say change is an absolute.  Thus we, as a species, seem forever embattled against nature.  We fight change.  We fight growing up.  We fight the ultimate change of all death.  Yet all these things are inevitable and absolute.  And that my son, if you excuse my French, scares the ever living crap out of most of us.

But as time marches on and changes come with new discoveries and growing continues, I will be there to help you through it.  Sometimes I will cuddle with you to comfort you from the new scary air condition monster.  Sometimes I will encourage you to face your fears and let Daddy go sleep in his own bed. Sometimes I will compromise and do both.  You have lots of new changes, new experiences, and new discoveries ahead.  Try your best to embrace each as a new challenge with excitement and fervor and overcome the fear.  And Mommy and I will try our best to help you navigate the inevitable ups and downs and new experiences of life.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo