Mayson's world

Today's school shooting is a tragedy.

How anyone could murder 20 innocent children and 6 adults, along with their own mother, is incomprehensible.

It's nothing short of evil.

As a mother myself I can only imagine how horrifying this situation is to the parents directly involved. My heart goes out to those whose children were killed and those whose children will forever be haunted with the memory of this day- the day that their innocence died.

And perhaps selfishly, I can't help but immediately think of my own daughter.

For now she's an infant, which is a convenient excuse, for me to not ever let her leave my side. But whether I like it or not she will grow and I'll slowly have to let her go out in to the world.

A world that is unsafe.

A world that is evil.

And days like today remind us parents of that.

It's unbelievable to think that just sending your child off to school is dangerous. Or that something as simple as taking them with you to the mall or to the movie theater could endanger their lives.

It would be so easy to shut down, over protect and try to shield Mayson from every dangerous situation... but the reality is that in today's world almost every situation could be dangerous.

First and foremost it is my job as her mother to keep her safe.

But at the same time I can't smother her. I can't keep her at home, only ten feet from my side forever. I have to let her experience things... I slowly have to let her go.

It's bound to be a delicate balancing act. One that Greg and I will have to fill out as we go.

Hopefully we will make the right decisions for her. Help her maintain that childish innocence, as well as prepare her for the world that she will be living in. And like it or not we are going to have to let her live in that world... not just in the four walls of our home.

 

All in all, I'm left knowing these simple facts... 

 

 

Mayson's world is unsafe.

The world she lives in is filled with evil.

And perhaps one of the biggest challenges I'll ever face as her mom will be allowing her to leave the safety of my arms and watch her walk out to conquer it alone.