The Future.

I have read so many new diarys these past few days. Grief. Anger. Confusion. Searching.

One writer (forgive me I've lost track who) said her daughter looked at her 5 month old granddaughter and asked how she could have brought a child into this crazy world. I say why does anyone? They are our purpose, our future. They are our hope.

I was married and childless as I watched them carry babies from the Murrah Building. I knew there was a potential for danger in the world. When I watched them lead the pre-schoolers in a tiny human chain from the jewish community center and the gunman threatening them, I looked at my toddler and realized I could never protect him. When his daycare (at a government facility) had a bomb scare I prayed.

With all this he is here, and I will never regret a minute. We bring our children into the world as our hope. Our living covenant with the earth that we will keep trying to get it right. Our tiny chance at leaving our mark on the planet. Our hope that someone will love us, help us, and mourn our passing when we go.

I will try to protect him, knowing I can not. I will try to give him strength for when he will need it as he grows. I will try to keep his childhood innocent, but will not shy from the truth when it is time. The world can be a dark and dangerous place but also a place of great light and goodness. He will know that, I will tell him. And I will tell him what it means to say the pledge of alliegance and of the ones who came before who built our great country. And I will do everything in my earthly power to protect FOR HIM the freedom that is the legacy of our forefathers.