Two mothers asked me this month how to deal with the fear their children were experiencing due to today’s world events. Between the natural disasters close at home and around the world, election bashing, economic reports, world conflicts and negative news in general, the world seems to be very fragile. It does make us all question our safety and stability.
I was thinking about the book, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. This novel based during the Civil War era depicts a family with several daughters. They found joy in their daily lives in spite of all the circumstances that surrounded them. Their father was away at war, illness hit the family and uncertainty of the times permeated their lives yet they always found joy in daily living and in being a family. Yes, it is fiction but the finding of joy, peace, love and safety in each other is real.
My mother was a teenager during World War II and shared with me several experiences of those years like rationing of fuel, clothing and food such as sugar, curfews with lights out, wondering for weeks if a sister’s fiancé had gone down with the navel ship, the Normandy, the blue stars in the windows of the homes signifying a son was away fighting in the war or a gold star signifying a son had been killed in our country’s service. She walked by one house on her way to school that had five stars in the window… three of them were gold. I for one would not trade my concerns of today for her generations’ experiences and fears. I asked if she remembered being afraid and her comment was the answer that the two mothers needed to hear. She said, “My mother and father never gave us reason to fear. We had love and security in our home. They were at peace and so they passed it on to their children.”
In both the book, Little Women, and my mother’s stressful times during World War II many joys were felt, fun experiences had, laughter, joy and security were felt. I’ve seen pictures of my mother and her family during those years. Those images showed everyone laughing, hugging, family outing and parties with friends. The reflections of the faces in the photos did not seem to have a concern or worry in the world. My mother experienced a happy teenage life. Why? I feel her parents were the key to her security.
Elder Holland stated in the Church’s worldwide training for members in February, “With all that’s happening around us, internationally and otherwise. I think there’s a lot of fear. I hear a lot of fear among our young single adults and teenagers wondering whether there’s going to be a future. It’s always been tough. There has never been a time in the history of the world when there weren’t problems, when there weren’t things to be fearful about. That’s why we have the gospel. We can’t live in fear… not in this Church… that somehow things aren’t going to work out or that there’s too much that’s ominous out there that’s going to strike. That can be personal fear or collective fear for civilization. We just need to live the gospel and summon our faith and get answers to our prayers and go forward. That’s the way it’s always been done.”
The secret of coping with fear is… faith in the gospel plan, knowledge that you are loved and known by a loving Heavenly Father. Safety is felt in a loving home environment; feelings of security happen when you have prepared physically for any natural disaster or economic recession that could occur. Mentally… when you feel gratitude for what you have… what you have is enough because you are not constantly wishing you had more.
If our trust is put in things of the world then we do have need to fear. As life changes around us physically our faith and trust should be in the Lord’s plan and what he has in store for us. With that knowledge there is no need to fear. Principles and gospel life style will never change and will bring security to our lives. The iron rod is there if we will hold on to it.
Children are generally unaware of world changes. They are more aware of changes within the walls of their home. Our place as mothers is to not let your fears become your child’s fear. Create a home of love, rules, consistency, happiness and laughter, a place where the world’s problems are not the main concern. Turn off the media that may bring those feelings of fear into their lives. Let them feel the peace that the gospel can bring and the love, calmness and security that you can give them.
No comments:
Post a Comment