I got too warm the other night and kicked the covers off, then dangled one foot over the side of the bed in the cool darkness. At which point I discovered that my imagination is alive and well. Within moments I wanted to pull my foot up again before that imaginary, childhood monster living under all our beds reached out to snag my ankle.
I know there’s not really a monster under my bed, but it was surprisingly hard to just let my foot hang there–monster bait.
Which got me to thinking about all the other imaginary monsters hiding in my life that I like to keep well fed and thriving.
- There’s the ItsAllUpToMe-asaurus – This monster whispers that if I don’t do things they either won’t be done right or won’t get done at all. And then the world will surely end.
- There’s the JustAHobby Man – This guy claims my writing is little more than personal entertainment and says being published is a fluke. He likes to whisper that once this third book is done, I will be, too.
- And, of course, there’s NoOneReallyLikesYou-enstein – This monster claims that if I don’t keep everyone happy, no one will like me anymore. He pushes me to say “yes” to everything and to never rock the boat.
There are others hiding under my bed, but these guys probably stick their snaky arms out the most. Of course, they’re all liars. They hide under the bed for a good reason–they can’t stand the light of day.
I’m betting I’m not the only grown-up who still has monsters under the bed–or maybe hiding in the closet–or behind the bureau. How about you? Which monsters send shivers down your spine late at night when your defenses are down?