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Saying Goodnight to Anxieties…and the Moon

BySarah Dixon Young

“In the great green room there was a telephone

and a red balloon

and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon…”

Chances are high that you can keep reciting the next lines in your head. Goodnight Moon is one of the most famous and beloved children’s books of all time. Its words are simple, lyrical, and calming. We love to read about the items and creatures in the room. They communicate care (a comb and a brush), warmth (mittens and socks), playfulness (a toy house and a young mouse), and nourishment (a bowl full of mush). The everydayness of them is relatable and comforting. There is an allusion to the world of imagination (a cow jumping over the moon), and there is a benevolent presence sitting nearby (the quiet old lady whispering hush). 

We read through what is in the room, and we are comforted. Hopefully, the little ones we read to are lulled toward sleep. No wonder we continue to read Goodnight Moon and wrap up crisp copies to give away at baby showers!

Before reading a biography about Margaret Wise Brown, the author of Goodnight Moon, I pictured her much like the “quiet old lady, whispering hush.” In reality, she was a spirited woman who never reached old age. One of her favorite hobbies was beagling, which involves chasing beagles through the woods as they hunt rabbits. She was part of the “here and now” educational movement, which celebrated the reality of children’s everyday lives and tendencies. It challenged the idea that children’s books should mostly consist of fairy tales and fables. A powerful librarian, Anne Carroll Moore, who disapproved of the Here and Now movement, banned Goodnight Moon from the NY Public Library. I never would have guessed that such a sweet children’s book had ever been considered controversial. 

As a girl, Margaret Brown, along with her sister, would bid goodnight to the items around the room that they liked. Their parents had an unhappy marriage, and their young lives involved a lot of changing of schools and homes. The Brown sisters found that this practice helped them to relax enough to fall asleep. Margaret returned to it as an adult, especially during seasons of uncertainty. Essentially, she developed an effective grounding practice long before the concept of grounding practices gained popularity. 

It is likely that we or someone we love is struggling with a level of anxiety that threatens to overwhelm. We do well when we befriend our anxiety; it is meant to serve us, providing information that a higher level of alertness is appropriate. But too often, we allow it to sit in a position of power when its service is no longer needed. 

Books about anxiety are making bestseller lists; we recognize that we need help in this area. We live in an age where it is easy to distract ourselves and disconnect from where we are, who we are with, and even what we are experiencing. We struggle to be present and carry with honesty and grace our disappointments, fears, and insecurities. They are too uncomfortable and heavy. We need Jesus. We need prayer and compassion. We need habits and practices that ground us as humans who are seen and held by a creative Creator and a strong and loving Redeemer. We need daily rhythms that lead us toward connection with God, ourselves, and with each other. 

Upon researching various grounding practices that are designed to alleviate anxieties, I learned about the 5-4-3-2-1 method. For it, you name 5 things you see (describing their details), 4 things you touch (describing how they feel), 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 that you can taste. The exact numbers matter less than the fact that the activity causes the individual to become more acutely aware of their surroundings and how, in the present moment, they are being experienced. It helps us move away from noisy ruminations; those worrisome thoughts that play on loop inside our minds in the most unhelpful of ways. 

I thought of Brown, saying goodnight to kittens and noises as a way of helping herself fall asleep. 

I also thought about the verses in Matthew 6 in which Jesus encourages his listeners to refrain from worry. He tells them to look at and consider birds and lilies. He reminds us, through His creation and words, of His provision and care. We need reminders of His provision and care. 

Our minds and bodies were created to need rest. We can trust God enough with our work and our worries, our days and our nights, to enter fully into rest. If we are watchful, we may find that we are surrounded by reminders of His goodness and faithfulness, provision and care. 

So—goodnight noises, everywhere. 

Biography referenced: Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon by Leonard S. Marcus 

Sarah Dixon Young
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