This Morning

It's easy to write about things one is passionate about.  The emotions are strong and the source material can be endless.  I surprise myself at times when these passionate feelings surface.

I have five children, so it's no surprise that children and family are important to me.  But there are aspects of motherhood that I've become very laid back about.  By the time you get to the fifth, you're just not as uptight about little things.  So, when I feel stirrings of being overprotective, it catches me by surprise.  Thus it was this morning.

I walked my youngest to school today.  He is in first grade and very independent.  He wanted to walk because his older brother walks, and he wants to be just like him.   We arrived at the corner that is kitty-corner to the school.  I waited on that corner while the crossing guard helped him cross one street and then the other.  I watched as she placed her body in a position to shield him in the best way possible.  When he finished crossing one street and swiveled ninety degrees to cross the other, she moved her body so she could  see his every move, planting herself in the middle of the road in the place of greatest danger.

My son then walked up the sidewalk towards the drive through in front of the school.  At that point the teacher on duty moved into the middle of the driveway lanes to block traffic so my son could safely cross.

I was profoundly touched by these two women and their willingness to put themselves between danger and my son.  I get choked up at the thought.

All of this is even more poignant because this is the first day back from spring break.  It was a spring break extended by one day because of Sandy Hook Elementary.  That tragedy prompted our school district to reevaluate security.  After that was done, they needed a day to train and update teachers and staff about new security procedures.  The teachers and staff returned to school yesterday for that training and our children enjoyed one more day of vacation.

All of these people: teachers, staff, and crossing guards are willing to put their lives on the line for my son and others' sons and daughters.  That is heroic.  That's something I can write about.