Lost in the Barren Jungle

The dark and dangerous deep forest of Mt. Norway (March 2013)

Daddy, our house is over there! she said. I can see it!

- No, it's a mirage, I replied. We are truly lost.

No seriously, I can see it! Do you see it, Johannes?

Yeah, he said. I see our house.

- No, I said. No. You're seeing what you WANT to see. 

Daddy! I can see our house through the trees!

- Magdelana, I said, with all the kindness and patience I could muster. We'll eat some snacks to keep our strength up, and hopefully we'll figure out where home is. But right now, we have no idea. We are lost. So be brave and let's stop with the false hope. And we must move quietly, the wart hogs are lurking.

I looked up, and glimmering through the trees, I found our home. I found it. I led them through the dark forest. I saved us.
____

ANGER.


If people would get mad at each other the same way my son gets angry with me, the world might be less violent. 

If you were to try out his approach, carefully follow these steps: 

1. Become very angry at someone. 
2. Lay down on the floor. 
3. Show your fury by scrunching up your face, closing your eyes and aggressively pretending to sleep. 
4. Then fall asleep for real. 
5. There. That'll show 'em. 

It will be challenging for that person to be upset with you after you wake up.