In her children’s picture book “There’s a Big, Beautiful World Out There,” author/illustrator Nancy Carlson seeks to reassure children that while the world does contain some scary things, it has many, many more beautiful things to appreciate.
She knows that there’s a lot of scary stuff out there. What about that big, growling bulldog outside, or that loud thunderstorm that sends rain beating against your windows? Rollercoasters are definitely scary, and so are scary stories in the news, both in newspapers and on TV.
It’s very frightening to get up in front of a whole bunch of people to speak or to perform. And we can’t rule out spiders and bugs—they are very, very scary. Shadows in your room can make you nervous, and some children are afraid of clowns. Some children are afraid of people who don’t look like them.
But even if all this stuff makes you want to hide and not come out, think about it for a minute. Is it possible that you’ve gotten it all wrong? Maybe that dog just looks mean and is really very nice. Have you ever taken the time to find out? What if there’s a big rainbow after the storm? A rollercoaster might actually be a lot of fun to ride, and there are good stories on the news, too. You might discover that you have a talent for performing in front of people, and clowns are just people wearing makeup who want to make you laugh. And those people who look different from you can actually turn out to become some of your very best friends!
So while you’re tempted to shut yourself away from life because of all your fears, don’t be afraid to embrace the day. The things you fear might turn out to be things that will bless your life.
This book greatly touched my heart, especially as I read the last page, which stated simply, “This book was written on September 12, 2001.”
(This book was published in 2002 by Viking.)
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Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep
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