This begins as a cute story simply born from a child’s imagination.

It turns into a touching reminder of what we often forget to do as adults.

The advice this little boy gives is probably what we all hear in different manners from several people about closure, anxiety and fear. But somehow his words warm my heart even more as he gives the same message.

I guess when it’s communicated through the language of a little boy the genuine truth speaks to our inner child more easily.

I don’t want to take it away from you so I think you should watch it first:

The Scared is Scared from Bianca Giaever on Vimeo.

First, he tells this cute little fun story of two animals you wouldn’t really imagine being friends (one being a huge bear and the other being a tiny mouse) and he makes them have all this fun but then it ends too soon. Then he makes them find other things to do until the next time so it’s a happy ending and we don’t get too sad for them.

After that, it slowly starts to get deep as he tells the “point of the story”:

“You don’t really wanna go when something’s closing, then you’ll have to wait to go back there.”

This speaks to me on a personal level about seizing opportunities at the right time.

And I really needed to hear this today.

I know it’s simple but true. Yet what I love the best is his perspective on it: he doesn’t make it into a sad thing. He makes it clear that waiting is the natural consequence of missing an opportunity, but we can still make that process of waiting fun by doing other things we enjoy instead of regretting being late or sulking.

This is serious advice! The bear and the mouse had a great time even without the swimming pool. They enjoyed other activities (I love how he whispers at this part) like having a sleepover.

But what truly moved me were his thoughts about closure and being nervous and afraid:

“If something feels like you’re closing, you should just say ‘okay, I’m fine.’ I usually let it go. I just think of something that I really like to do. You just think of something else until the nervous has gone out of you. I let that thing disappear out of my head. Out of my ears, out of my mouth.”

“When the scared feeling comes into you, the scared is scared… of things you like.”

Then he makes a little list of the things he thinks of that make him happy.

I hope watching this made you smile and remember these simple facts like it did to me. From time to time, we need to be reminded to take it a little bit easier on ourselves.

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Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Screenshot