Not Sure Of Much, But I Know One Thing

Being a mother has not only fulfilled my life, but has sharpened and developed many animalistic tendencies within my soul.  I'm a "nice" gal, but let me tell ya something, no one will take my children, ever, as long as I have breath in my body.

With all the terrible things in this world, there is one thing I am sure of.  Come hell or high water, no one will take my children.  Evil lurks everywhere, just waiting for the opportunity.  No one will take either of my children, if I have anything to say about it.  Hmm, do we as parents have any say so in the matter?  Do hungry sexual predators really have the upper hand?  Are they really "so smart" that I can't protect my children from them?

While I'm no spring chicken, I can tell you this, that if anyone thinks they are going to take my children on my watch, they have another thing coming!  As "hungry" as that sick predator is, they are no match for the love of a mother towards her children (well, most mothers ... another topic altogether for another time).  Bring it on I say, and let the better person win.  Oh wait, I forgot.  Monsters don't play fair, they don't have to.  They don't have a conscience, therefore, they do not put value on your invaluable children.  People who would dare think of taking a child for their own pleasure and satisfaction are not people in my book.  

I know what the Bible says about judging others, and I believe it to be true.  On the other hand, I also know I am a sinner, even though my thoughts and heart bear good intent.  God is in the business of forgiving, and He will forgive me for my sins, past, present, and future.  My children are a gift of God, and it is my responsibility to love, care, and protect them.  Yes, protect, with every means I have available to me, at all times.

Is it wrong of me to carry a pocket knife?  What about the "illegal" set of brass knuckles in my purse I bought at an antique shop?  Hmph, to any officer, I say, "Cuff me sir, you're lucky I didn't bring my baseball bat to the grocery store!"  What I'm getting at is this; people with the mind set of hurting others, without conscience or fear of punishment, are lurking out there.  They wait, sometimes very patiently, stalking our children.  They hope for that one second, where opportunity meets decision, then they pounce!  It's that quick, your child is gone.  I watch the news.  I know these monsters are real and I choose to ready myself in the event they try it on my children.  Be ready.

I teach my kids to be aware of their surroundings, at all times, especially when they are in a place where they should feel safe and comfortable.  While driving in the car, if we pass a walker on the street, I'll say, "So tell me, that guy back there we just passed, what kind of shoes was he wearing?"  Of course, at first they didn't know the answers.  Over time however, I've seen their own sense of awareness rise, not to the point of being freakishly frightened to eat out at McDonald's, but enough to where they take note of small details that could otherwise go unnoticed.  

Ahh, so I can relax now, right?  Not for a second!  While my children are teenagers, there are different risks for the different age groups of children, in my humble opinion.  For example, a newborn in a stroller could only be abducted by force, or some other similar circumstance, out of their control, since they are helpless.  But my teen daughter, who, like all girls her age, loves to shop and go to the movies with friends.  Therefore, she is automatically put into a different circumstance that could, by her choosing, unknowingly endanger her by being in those environments, especially if unsupervised (as so many teens think they deserve to be).  The problem here is that, while I know my teen is a "good girl", aware of her surroundings, and looks out for the welfare of her friends, there are the others (the monsters), who are waiting for the opportunity to take what isn't theirs.  

There is no manual for parenthood.  There are opinionated books and writings, much like mine, who warn folks of the "dangers" and so on.  Blah, blah, blah.  Look.  If you love your children, protect them, with your life, if necessary.  Watch who they hang with, where they go, what they do and say.  Listen, observe, be alert.  Stay alert.  Don't assume anything.  Don't take for granted, that just because your child has been "safe" walking to the corner store alone, that it will continue to be such.  It is in these moments, of false security, where a predator will pounce, especially if your child has walked the same path, the same time of day, on the same day of the week.  Patterns.  Monsters love those.  Makes it so much easier for them.  What's your defense?  Don't let patterns be part of your routine and the activities of your children.

What's the first thing you hear when you see a parent giving a press conference on their missing child?  "We never thought it could happen to us", right?  I don't ever want to say that.  I know it can happen to us, to all of us, at any given time, day or night.  The parents who find themselves saying that, also knew it could happen to them, their child.  Who knows why it did, only God knows.  While I'm not sure of much, I know one thing ... that children are a gift of God.  Protect them with your life.