As I stayed glued to the weather coverage this evening throughout the tornado watches and warnings, I can assure you, our insurance coverage was not allaying my fears. Besides, isn't a tornado an Act of God, something usually exempted from insurance coverage (or is that just straight-line winds, falling trees and wind shears?)Seriously though, insurance is meant to eliminate financial fears associated with traumatic situations and losses. It does help to know there is coverage that may help us buy our way back to some semblance of our normal life at such drastic times. But what about all those irrational fears most of us have?
Some of my such fears, irrational or not, include spiders, losing loved ones and walking on ice. (There are more, but they're the biggies.) Okay, the second one is very common and NOT irrational. Insurance won't cure that situation. Insurance may help with the last one though - I do have decent medical coverage. I've seen polls showing arachnophobia to be one of the most common fears out there. Do they sell policies for that one? (If so, I WANT that coverage!!!) Come to think of it, my medical coverage kicked in there, too. I once spent six weeks in a cast after chasing and killing a large wolf spider! (But that's a tale for another day.)
Seriously, what can we do about kids' fears. I mean, you can reason with rational fear and explain why something would not be so frightening. The family's 5-year-old is terrified of folks who have casts on their arms, feet, etc. She is convinced their hand (foot) is now gone and that terrifies her. As she has been exposed to such situations, I think she is finally understanding that those body parts are simply hidden for a while, not missing.
More difficult to reckon with is her violent fear of ANGELS !!!! Yep, she is absolutely terrified of them. I think I finally figured out why. Her maternal grandfather died just weeks after her birth and her mother found comfort in believing and saying her Dad's angel was watching over them at all times. She often told this to K. Unfortunately, K only knows him as an old man in pictures and, I'm afraid, pictures him more as a Peeping Tom, spying on her! I believe, instead of a cute little cherub-like image of angels, she sees them as dirty old men. Could be kind of scary!! This is going to take a while to rectify with her.
Even more confusing is her fear of St. Anthony!! Her other grandfather has a large (18") statue of St. Francis that was his Mom's. It's a family heirloom to him. He has kept it in the guest room for years. This is also the room K. sleeps in when she stays there. She has no problem with it being in the room as long as she can't see his face. Therefore, St. Anthony has become an Orioles fan. He wears his baseball cap over his face, year 'round.
I know he is the Patron Saint of those who are Down and Out. As Oriole fans we've prayed long and hard for a successful season. This season, like the past 10, is not off to a great start. Do you think the baseball cap covering St. Anthony's face has anything to do with this?
Or is he just a Yankee's fan?
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