Y'know, I never would have noticed this if it weren't for Jean bumping it. Its a good thing he did because I would have missed out. And I don't generally comment on peoples' works. Bad habit of mine really. It isn't that there aren't things on this board and elsewhere that are beneath my critiquing them but sometimes I see something that spurs enough feeling in me that I must say something.

I wanted to add this. One thing that got through to me about what you wrote about Lassie was your description of your psyche as a mental trinity...the Rational, the Fool, and the Child. I thought it was a very apt description of how we compartmentalize our personalities and how that compartmentalization can help us to cope. To me, its especially important that the fine line between fool and child be recognized. I think all too often people overlook the differences between the two and count them as one. But they aren't one and you highlighted the differences very well.

Eddie...I sympathized with...pure and simple. We share some of the same fears, he and I. I think you're right. Eddie is a part of us all...especially those of us that are depended upon and looked up to, expected to set an example. Some might look at a person that is a spouse, parent, and provider or a teacher, mentor, and an example of what others should strive to be and admire them for being an adult...for doing what they're supposed to be doing...not ever suspecting just how afraid and fragile that person really is.