I have to believe that the world is generally a good place.
That people are basically good.
That there isn’t danger lurking around every corner.
News stories would convince me otherwise.
Terrible things happening at places we ordinarily visit.
Parks, pools, zoos, airplanes, amusement parks, right on a neighborhood street.
Those terrible things that could have happened to my kids, had we been the ones to be in that spot at that time.
That still could happen to them.
Or me. But as a mom, the true horror is in thinking it could be them.
Unless we decide not to go anywhere, not to even leave the house for anything because bad things could happen out there.
Bad things could happen in here, too, if I want to overthink it.
So, we’d have to not only stay home, but not allow anyone in, and clear out the house of anything at all that could possibly cause any sort of injury… though that wouldn’t keep away those terrible illnesses that can happen, too.
Thinking about every single what if is terrifying and could be paralyzing.
I can’t completely dismiss all of those what if’s.
It’s smart to talk to your kids about some of the dangers that could be out there.
To instill some street smarts, to talk about if/then situations, how they can keep themselves out of certain situations and then what to do if they can’t, how they can get help.
Not to blindly think that nothing bad could ever happen to any of us.
Because it could.
But while I have to keep that terrifying possibility in mind, I can’t let it rule our lives.
We have to still be out in the world, experiencing things, living life.
And to do that, I have to believe that there is more good in this world than bad.