Reassurance

"Are you fishing for reassurance?"

Heck, isn't everyone?

I don't imagine I'm the only person in the world who wants someone to put their arms around me and tell me everything is going to be ok.  Cautious, sensible people won't do that, I suppose.  Too rational to make promises about factors completely beyond their control. Fair enough.

But how about "this particular thing will be ok"? Or how about "if things aren't ok, I will put my arms around you"?  Or something?

I'm scared about lots of things at the moment. I wrote them down to confront my fear head-on. They looked even worse in harsh black-and-white, winking malevolently at me from the screen.

I don't seem like a person who is scared, or like someone who needs reassurance. I'm like a hedgehog. I'm like a conker. I'm like a kitten in a cold hard submarine. I know.

Even just the arms round me, I'd settle for that.