The little worries

Some nights, you wake up with a worry or two. Little things, if you're lucky. Getting your word processing program to function again. The mental duress of the household feline. Little things.

And then your mind might wander to your hobby, as it tends to do, and you worry a little bit about the Sherlock world. Never Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, for despite the possibilities of drug issues or marital disharmony, moments of violence or ravages at the hands of sensational writers, they seem to do okay. But those who follow them, whether they call themselves "fans" or not, often have troubles as well. And you worry about them, in whatever far-off city they dwell.

One might blame social media for this, giving us glimpses into the lives of distant friends in ways we never had before, but distant friends sparked the occasional worry long before we had the internet. We're students of Sherlock Holmes, we tend to observe little details that betray bigger problems. And sometimes, those details aren't so little, seeming glaringly obvious, in fact. And, if you have a heart, they're the sort of details that make you worry.

There's a reason that the phrase "ignorance is bliss" has remained in use for so long. While there are things we can affect and need to be aware of, some others remain forever just beyond our reach, especially when dealing with other humans . . . the ones up close can be hard enough to navigate at times. Distance reduces our powers significantly. There was only so much even Sherlock Holmes could do with a letter or telegram.

So, in the wee small hours of the night, when the worries come creeping around, even good old Sherlockiana can add its fuel to the fire. But the fires of worry come with the warmth of caring, and who knows where a little caring might take you?

It's good to have a few cares, even when they come with worries, just to remind you of the things you need to do in the daylight. Which makes me wonder what Sherlock Holmes worried about in the night. And when I'm back to just wondering about that guy, I know I'm relaxing and it's time to get a little more sleep.

Hope all your night-thoughts lead you back Holmes as well.