Jack’s Winning Words 10/31/14
“Mama, is that the bogeyman?”  (…said a child, looking at me.)  It was dusk and as I passed a mother and little boy on the sidewalk I heard him ask his mom if I were the bogeyman.  There are things that frighten, even adults…Ebola, financial situations, what-ifs, global-warming, a doctor visit, a dental appt.  There’s a documented list of over 500 phobias.  Acrophobia is on my list.  How about you?  There are 4 words on American currency that might help.    ;-)  Jack 

FROM TRIHARDER:  It brings up something that bothers me very much -- not necessarily related to you as the "bogeyman".  I hate the depiction of ugly/unattractive as "evil" and good looking as "good."  Kids learn from an early age that the ugly guy/woman, the scary looking guy in the cartoon, in the movie is the villain.  We know in life that that is just not true.  A person afflicted with  an illness, a disease, a condition is often bent, distorted and disfigured. In addition to having to face the difficulties of their conditions, how those poor people must feel.====JACK:  Are you inferring that I'm "ugly?"  I took the little boy's question to relate to how tall I seemed to be when I approached them in the dark.  But apart from that, I do understand the point you were trying to make.====TH:  No! That's why I pointed out that it was NOT related to you as the bogeyman.  More to the point, What does the bogeyman look like?  Wouldn't he get more results if he was a good looking person to attract and steal kids?  Evil would be more successful if it was physically attractive.====JACK:  Bogeyman is one of those words like, Santa Claus, which changes its interpretation when we move from childhood to adulthood...but not always.  Some adults never outgrow childish concepts.

Someone commented the other day about even beatutiful women can make a man miserable. My counter was, "Yes, but they make 'miserable' a little more tolerable."  We do put a lot of premium on beauty.  I am not innocent of that concept.

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  The phobia thing can get absurd...for instance "phobophobia"...the fear of fear.  According to Martin Luther we should "fear, love, and trust in God above all things." ====JACK:  I'm sure that if I were to read though the entire list of phobias I'd find some more that apply to me...even though I'd like to think that I trust in God.  "I believe; help my unbelief."

FROM TARMART REV:  I was certainly trusting you were alright these past days in not seeing your posts . . . you might say I was beginning to have a phobia about the matter?!?! So nice to see you back.====JACK:  Just because people missed receiving Winning Words for a couple of days, some thought that I was sick or had died.  A positive thinker might have thought that I was taking a vacation.  Maybe it's age-related.  The answer...It was computer related, and (hopefully) that's solved.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  How could any child look at you and think of a bogeyman?????  Or were you dressed up for Halloween?====JACK:  Each mind pictures for itself what a Bogeyman looks like.  I guess I appeared like that to the little boy.  What does Bogeyman look like to you?

FROM JE IN MICHIGAN:  In God we trust!!!!  Happy Halloween!====JACK:  Is it just a slogan?  I guess it's for each of us to answer.====JE:  No it is not just a slogan, it is my personal belief. ====JACK:  You're not the only one.

FROM CHESTER THE GOOD:  Freedophobia _ the fear of losing Winning Words.====JACK:  Do you remember the cartoon that began THERE'S NO NEED TO FEAR...UNDERDOG IS HERE.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  You have a fear of heights? Many do!  I forget why, but I accessed that list of phobias once, and was AMAZED at the number that came up!  Venustraphobia is a fear of beautiful women (an actual phobia!) and how about Ecclesiophobia=a fear of church or going to church, which we once dealt with in a person, (!) and there are many who have claustrophobia...fear of small enclosed places...You wonder how all of these developed...some rather recently, like the fear of cell phones!!  Enuff said!====JACK:   Speaking of the latest...Ebolaphobia...and Fox News' Obamaphobia.