Katy's Ghost

Katy is three years old. She has red hair and green eyes and a beautiful smile. Everyone says so. Not just her parents.

Katy likes to explore her house. She thinks she is quite brave to do this alone without her brother and sister and parents around. She especially likes to go into her parents room and examine all the nooks that are normally kept off-limits from her.

Tonight the door has been left open in invitation so she decides to take advantage of the time. Everyone else is in the living room. Suddenly, something moves! Katy screams and runs faster than her two legs should be able to carry her. "There's a ghost in mommy's room," she cries.

Daddy picks her up and carries her fighting body back into the room to show her that nothing is there. There is no reason to be afraid. Katy protests. There is a ghost.

They turn on the lights to look around. Just then the heating vent kicks back on and daddy's coveralls flutter as they hang on the closet door. Everyone laughs. There was no ghost. It was just daddy's clothes.

Katy laughs, too, but she's still not sure. She's decided to stay out of mommy's room for now.

There is a little bit of Katy in all of us. When confronted with our irrational fears, we also cling to them. All too often, we give verbal acceptance of the concept of irrationality, but inside we fail to turn loose.

Becky J Graphics