The Yellow Bag of Worries

Lukas has a small yellow bag with a string at the top.

The bag is for worries.

Lukas's worries are not large. They are small worries. He has a few.

There is the worry about the slide at nursery, which sometimes feels too steep.

There is the worry about the mole that lives under the lawn — Lukas has not seen the mole, only the bumps, and the bumps are concerning.

There is the worry about whether Mama will remember to come back. (Mama always remembers. But the worry comes anyway.)

In the evening, Lukas's papa sits with him on the bed. They talk about each worry. Then Lukas takes the worry, makes it small in his hand, and puts it in the yellow bag.

He pulls the string. The bag closes.

The bag goes on the hook by the door. The worries stay there. The worries are not allowed in the bed.

In the morning, Papa says, "Do you want them back?"

Lukas usually says, "Not the slide one."

Sometimes most of the worries are gone. Sometimes a few are still in the bag. That is alright.

The bag waits. It is patient.

It is a very good yellow bag.