Deflecting the Happy Meal Syndrome

     How many times, and in how many varied venues, have I experienced the Happy Meal Syndrome (HAMS)? Too many to count! Happy Meals entered into American culture June, 1979, just 10 months prior to the birth of our first child. Our son was introduced to the meal at a young age. Here is the repeated experience we had with Happy Meals:

• Our son pleads for a Happy Meal, and we buy him one. The excitement piques our son's senses, like a bungee jump rush, with adrenaline that dynamically detonates
• The colorful box, special toy, and princely meal delights him. He feels way, TOO special
• After about 20 minutes of heightened senses and eating (our McD's had no playground), our parental heads-up begins: We'll be leaving in (tick-tock) 10 minutes... 5 minutes, etc.
• At departure, he experiences deer-in-the-headlights delirium. He expects MORE!

     This scenario created unbearable backlash and nay-ing. Symptoms included spooked, egocentric, bucking-the-parents frenzy. We may have over-responded, but official Happy Meal purchases ceased; we dreaded the un-happy outcome. A burger and fries with no colorful box and no toy sufficed.

     The Happy Meal Syndrome begins when one feels de-stabilized, with hijacked sensory processing. It can occur following a (positive) adrenaline-filled event--feeling hyper-important and wanting MORE; or, it can occur during a (negative) flight-or-fight, fearful situation--feeling helpless and wanting CONTROL. A Sunday 5:00 p.m. flat tire, leaving two women stranded, miles from home, on a busy highway, combined with soon-approaching darkness definitely brings out fight-or-flight.

     In retrospect, I see that our parental responsibility was not to altogether omit the Happy Meal experience. We instead needed to teach awareness of the signs... of early piqued sensory stimulation and triggers. We many times referred to Dr. Dobson's, The Strong-Willed Child, reading it cover-to-cover. It helped for setting boundaries, but oh, to have had the enlightening Internet. Our boy somehow survived and is now a man with true character.

     The inspiring movie Secretariat portrays a calming HAMS moment. Leading into the poignant conclusion, Secretariat owner Penny Tweedy nervously awaits the next morning's Triple Crown Race. She meets with her adored stallion, lovingly stroking his mane. Horses have a keen sense for their handler's emotions and can easily become spooked. Races can be won or lost on the spook-factor. Tweedy knows this, and rather than conveying to Secretariat her desire for him to win, Tweedy speaks the unforgettable, reassuring line (learned from her late, very wise father): I didn't give up... I've already won!... I've run my race, now you run yours.

     Tweedy expresses her faith in Secretariat, no matter the outcome. The race is already won for her, in intangible, others-ways.


Peek-a-boo!

     This nostalgic Halloween 2012 picture is from my premiere blog:
Boo-logging Begins. My senses were spooked, and I felt vulnerable attempting a new writing challenge. This week my senses are once again spooked, with the noisy scrape of shingle removal and replacement, with pounding directly above me as I edit this blog. For many reasons, senses are heightened... my 12-month blogging goal is finally achieved!

Roofing chaos & NOISE!

     It feels like I've completed a doctoral comprehensive exam or dissertation. My blogs have faithfully reviewed movies, dutifully reported during a Left Behind missions trip, shared travel experiences, sensory-reviewed a book The PAPA Prayer, and shared historical and memorable family times, tasty recipes, and health tips. Like a movie's crescendo with increasingly intense music, directing viewers to heightened arousal, I feel the music. What is next, now that my goal is achieved? I want MORE!

     I, too, experience TOO sensory processing challenges, and at times it has been debilitating. However, I am ... grateful for... this weakness. Forgive this transparent, uncomfortably frail confession: I keenly sense my need... for more and for control, and I experience backlashes. In other words, I have a highly addictive personality. Rather than numbing myself with addictive substances like drugs or joy juice, I seek genuine joy.

     I seek, THE One with, eternal Substance.* I need Him, maybe more than most others do, every moment of every day. Like water, like breath, like rain... I need my life-giving Savior (John 3:16). With every sensory breath I take, and every move I make, I sensory feel His re-assuring presence. He is the center ...the fire in my heart... the wind in my sails (Vineyard).**

     Every day I learn to trust my Owner's view of the future, and every day I re-learn that He knows what is best, for all. As His spirited child and the apple of His eye, I attempt to embrace calm faith: Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O Lord, supported me. When ANXIETY [emphasis mine] was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul (Psalm 94:17-19).

     Did I run my blogging race well? I wasn't a sham, but embarrassingly and intentionally transparent... wondering if brutal honesty would benefit someone, somewhere, somehow. I didn't give up... writing way more than my blog-a-week commitment (thanks to TOO Sensory Processing)... Do I have any further inspiration for writing? Does it matter to anyone? Or, was this past 12 months merely one, long, egocentric, frenzied (but therapeutic) sensory lap?

     Synchronized take-away:  1) You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him or her drink (2 Cor. 5:21) and 2) Don't look a gift horse in the mouth (2 Cor. 5:7).

He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing... in frenzied excitement he eats up the ground.

He will not stand still when the trumpet sounds! (Job 39:24)

     Post-script: This is my 101st blog, published on October 31st, exactly one year after posting my 1st-ever blog. [Well, good thought, and close enough. My senses were TOO stirred to wait until 10/31 to publish. Oh, Happy Day!].

* The Substance Behind the Shadows

** "Be the Center" lyrics