INSECURITY

Completely enclosed and protected on all sides.  The world is warm, a perfect match for our warm bodies.  We float in a medium of moisture which touches every pore in our skin.  There is no empty space.  The gaps between our limbs are filled, and we feel the filling.
The womb. 

And then suddenly, the loud, bright, very dry, and wide open space plows into us.  The gust of wind that floods our tiny lungs—now with air instead of water—is shocking.  The abrupt and painful separation from our previous world is violent, though necessary—it is what keeps us alive.  Without birth, we would physically cease to be.  Without birth, growth and evolution would not matter.  Without birth, our host could die.     

However, with birth comes Insecurity.  The rapid expulsion from our mother’s protective habitat is not a welcome sensation.  It is a scary one.  If those handling our newborn presence are careless, insensitive, rushed or cold, our desire to go back under cover—back inside our safe place—becomes intensified.  If we are treated with any form of disrespect or neglect, we feel desperate and anxious.  Our new world is viewed as mean and hostile—never mind that it is foreign and intimidating.

As we slowly become accustomed to our unpleasant surroundings, we crave warmth and security.  This, generally, is experienced through feeding, but feeding alone is not enough.  We need tenderness, kindness, attention, and a sense of safety.  We require the human touch, a gentle embracing and a rhythmic rocking that connects us to the sensation of being completely surrounded and floating, much like the womb.  This safe, floating sensation helps us sleep.  We need this as much as possible, for the memory of our mother’s secure, warm world is fresh.  Anything that reminds us of our familiar place of security is paramount.

But, after birth, our mothers are tired and worn out.  They need to rest, reflect, and nourish their bodies.  Our fathers—if they are available—are possibly in shock and not sure what to do, leaving almost immediately to acquire the supplies for his home and family.            

Left unattended, all this baby wants is Security.  If too many moments pass without it, the infant becomes anxious and fretful, groping for the physical sensation of warmth and safety. 
Busy parents do not realize how early in life their child begins feeling insecure. 

Our society is full of insecure babies living inside adult bodies.