Into the World of Giants
arun on Aug 10 2007
I know my life on this world will one day come to an end. I am however still torn over which of two preferred options I wish to take out of here.
The first option is relatively straightforward – it is to be hit by a freak meteorite storm. There are lots of benefits to this path, as I can die quickly, spectacularly and be buried and cremated all at the same time. The second option is more complex – it is to keep living by slipping into a parallel universe.
I’m not attached to any particular parallel universe. It might be the one where Elvis Presley and John Lennon live long lives and get to hang out at bingo together. Or perhaps one of the really different ones, like where birds evolved into the dominant species rather than apes.
But I have an uncanny feeling that I will end up in the World of Giants.
The World of Giants is complex and hard to explain properly… at least it will be until I sell the movie rights to Steven Speilberg and you can see it on the big screen.
It is run, as you might have gathered, by giants. They are incredibly intelligent and know things that seem beyond our level of comprehension. Of course with their size and strength, they can also do things that are beyond our physical ability.
As you might also guess the World of Giants is their world and they have total power over it. It is designed for and by giants. When I live there, doing anything will be a stark reminder that I am a visitor. Getting a drink, opening a door, even going to the toilet – its all made for them and I know I will need help to simply survive.
Don’t get me wrong, it will be exciting. So many new things, so much to see, to learn and experience. But of course it would also be stressful at times – I would need to be constantly increasing my knowledge and skills to deal with what at times would be an almost incomprehensible environment.
I wonder how the giants will treat me?
I can imagine many will see me as a second class citizen, which I guess I would be. They might want to pretend that I don’t exist and make me feel even smaller. I would hate that!
Others might be more caring – they might look at my comparatively limited size and knowledge with pity and concern. They would want to protect me from a potentially dangerous world.
They would keep me safe by telling me places that I could go, things that I could eat and do. They would need to set clear boundaries and perhaps put me in a controlled environment to make sure that no harm came to me.
They would have my best interest at heart, they would probably grow to love me and I them…
But I know that something inside of me would want more.
I would be curious. I would want to experiment and explore in the “danger or forbidden zones”. Wouldn’t you?
Then it came to me – I was daydreaming about my future life in the World of Giants when I imagined meeting a couple of very special, very different giants. It was not so much that they were different… but they were able to see things differently. They could see things from my perspective.
In my dream, these giants would take the time to understand and get to know me. They would accept who I was unconditionally and respect me with no judgement or attachment to what I “should” be.
Of course like any giants they would be physically and mentally more capable than me… but they would respect and appreciate the level I was at. They would support my growth at my pace by giving me space to explore and being there for me when I wanted their help or advice.
Our relationship would not be about protection. It would be about trust, connection and empowerment.
My giants would be in my corner and become my guides and friends… not my keepers. Even now the thought of my giants at my back… by my side even, makes a future time in the World of Giants seem so much more possible, exhilarating and exciting. Even now I can feel my confidence grow and myself standing that much taller.
With that sort of relationship as a foundation, I know that I could be anything that I wanted… perhaps even a giant if that’s what took my fancy!
But until the day comes when I slip into the parallel universe here I am.
I am ready. I know exactly what I want in the World of Giants: Trust, understanding, connection, support and unconditional love. The least I can do in the meantime is give those same gifts to my children, as they explore their own World of Giants.
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I love this article, it is written so well. I reflect on our day everynight when I am lying with my daugter Jasmine who is now 21 months, whilst she drifts off to sleep. It gives me the opportunity to stop and look at how she would view the day, did we meet her needs whilst striving to meet all ours? Was she in and out of the car seat, rushed to the supermarket, Post Office, shopping in the pram etc…how did she feel in the process? Was she considered in the planning of our day? How would I feel if my husband did that to me? I would be frustrated! These evening reflections gives me the chance to be more aware of her needs and feelings. I feel we live in a society where children are treated differently to adults, I see Jasmine as an individual and I treat her like I would like to be treated and considered by others. I have noticed that this does not come easy to many. I am Jasmine’s advocate in our family and I am very grateful that my husband is open to my suggestions and his perception has shifted. Now he will sometimes comment on how Jasmine may feel or need when we decide to go or do something, which is fantastic.
Shaz