“Where are my keys?” my Mom asked.

This was my cue. You see, I was always a bit of a rascal growing up—very well behaved at school but quite the prankster at home. As I got older, I abandoned my more complex antics and kept things sweet and simple: I hid my mom’s keys.

From a young age, I always had a trick up my sleeve for my mom. When I was a young girl I would pretend I had lost something important or torn my jeans. As a preteen, I graduated to putting random items in the grocery cart. Once I successfully snuck a large swimming pool toy into our shopping cart without her noticing for ten whole minutes.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized why I chose to have fun at the expense of my mom’s age (and sanity): I’m terrified of her getting old. I’m now an independent adult with a self-sufficient attitude, but I cherish the opportunity to have parents in my life. It’s not just because I love them or because we’re close; it’s also because they afford me that certain amount of security and stability that I crave in this life.

When I think about taking care of my parents instead of them taking care of me, I begin to feel anxious and afraid. I like knowing that I have someone to fall back on when times get tough. When I feel lonely, I always have someone to call who will listen to me and love me. My parents make me feel a bit safer, a bit more loved and a bit less alone.

Anyone out there raising their hands in timid agreement?

In the moments where fear grips my heart and I dread facing uncertainty about my parents’ future, I look to these four Bible verses for comfort:

1. Isaiah 49:15 (GNTD)
   “So the Lord answers, ‘Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you.’”
2. Psalm 90:1 (CEV)
   “Our Lord, in all generations, you have been our home.”
3. Psalm 27:10 (CEV)
   “Even if my father and mother should desert me, you will take care of me.”
4. Proverbs 23:22 (GNTD)
   Listen to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your appreciation.