the strength of a child's hand

Lucy has been going through a fearful phase lately. As the pinks and golds fall upon the horizon she has taken to turning on nearly every single light in the house, closets included.  We keep waiting for this phase to pass, yet months after her viewing of Edward Scissorhands, which is what set this routine in motion, the switches keep coming on. I'm almost certain that PG&E will be sending us a holiday card this year. In addition to being the brightest house on the street Lucy has not only set up camp on our bedroom floor, but has also become my shadow, running behind me from one room to the next, never wanting to be left alone for a single second. There are days when this can get a bit tedious, but then in the quiet moments, the tenderness of it all becomes evident.  "Mommy, where are you going? Can you stay here with me?"  These are the moments I will long for and find nostalgic when she becomes the self-sufficient and independent being she is sure to become.  As I hold her hand and read to her each night I find myself in awe of her beauty and honest admission of simply being afraid. If we could all admit our fears so easily the world would be a very different place.

So, what are your fears? I know mine and the thought of losing each or any one of them could easily send me racing for the nearest light switch.