Chasing the Monsters Away

My sons were like every child in the universe; they were occasionally visited by monsters who disrupted their slumber (not to mention the parents much needed sleep). Sometimes these creepy night visitors had no face, no descriptive form, just the power to scare the willies out of a little boy. Occasionally they did have form, and having a mom that could draw came in handy.

The boys would come to me describing the bad beast(s) that lurked in the shadows of their dreams. It was my job to get those ugly demons down on paper for all to see. Somehow, just seeing it on paper in the light of day rendered the boogeyman useless.

I remember when Drew dictated this beast to me. He was very young and we kept revising this monster until it was definitely the one chasing him. If an outsider had been looking in, they would have likened the scene to a police artist with a prime witness; "Yes, he had great long teeth that were like a saber-tooth tiger's", "No. His nose was longer with bumps all down it", "He had eyes like a snake!', "He was completely bald with red spots on his head." So he talked it out while I drew it and voila! monster banished. As far a I know this guy never plagued Drew again.

We all have monsters. What are yours?

They come in a variety of form with a plethora of malevolence directed our way. Some are childhood creations, just like the one above. Others from young adulthood, or even adult fears. In one of my theatre courses we were given the task of writing down our monsters. We were to describe them, not draw them, just as my son did for me. Then we were asked to give our descriptions to another student who would then render in 3D the habitat/terrain our monster may live in.

It is a great way to get your imaginations going and to help bring to life the fears that plague us. It was a fantastic class. And we were all amazed by the creations placed before us a couple of weeks later.

So banish your demons. Draw them out! Say a bit to them face to face. Tell them you no longer fear them since they are just doodles on a piece of paper. If you feel the need either shred or burn the paper that your beast now lives on, do it!

What are your Monsters?