Watching the Virginia Tech tragedy unfold over yesterday and today, all I can think is, "Each of those victims is someone's child."
Since Miette was born, every tragedy or misfortune that I see reminds me that motherhood is synonymous, to a certain extent, with pain. Every day of this world, mothers live with the knowledge that our grasp on our children's safety is incredibly tenuous. I do everything I can to ensure Miette's safety, health and happiness - and in the end, ultimately, her fate is out of my hands. I can't control what the rest of the world does to this child who means the world to me, and today in particular I find that pain especially poignant.
I think the whole of humanity has a duty to treat one another gently, to work towards the end of making everyone safe and whole. But I also feel that I, as a mother, have a particular obligation to make the world a better place, even though my contribution is infintesimal in the face of the world's problems, becasue I want the world to be a better place now that Miette is in it.
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heather--
i absolutely know what you mean. the love i feel for my baby is terrifying. my husband has to talk me down from my fear almost nightly. i know it'll be easier once i just sort of let it all--his vulnerability, and yes--the idea of motherhood being sononymous with pain -- but for now, thank you for writing about it. i thought the same thing about the shooting. my husband's step father was in our hospital room the afternoon my son was born, talking about how someone at the school having a handgun would've solved the problem. it was just so repugnant to me.
thanks again for sharing.
xoxoxoxoxo, rachel
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