Quote by Stephen King

Before drifting away entirely, he found himself reflecting---not for the first time---on the peculiarity of adults. Thet took laxatives, liquor, or sleeping pills to drive away their terrors so that sleep would come, and their terrors were so tame and domestic: the job, the money, what the teacher will think if I can't get Jennie nicer clothes, does my wife still love me, who are my friends. They were pallid compared to the fears every child lies cheek and jowl with in his dark bed, with no one to confess to in hope of perfect understanding but another child. There is no group therapy or psychiatry or community social services for the child who must cope with the thing under the bed or in the cellar every night, the thing which leers and capers and threatens just beyond the point where vision will reach. The same lonely battle must be fought night after night and the only cure is the eventual ossification of the imaginary faculties, and this is called adulthood.

Summary

This quote highlights the stark contrast between the fears and worries of adults compared to those of children. It reflects on how adults often rely on external aids like laxatives, liquor, or sleeping pills to escape their mundane fears related to work, money, social approval, and relationships. In contrast, children face much more intense fears of monsters under the bed or in the cellar, yet they have no recourse to therapy or support systems like adults do. The quote suggests that adulthood is essentially the process of losing the vividness of our imagination and fears, as we are forced to overcome them alone, leading to a gradual acceptance of reality.