This morning, scrolling through my Facebook page, I got two notices about abducted children. Then, a few short hours later, an Amber Alert broke through to give the news of a 9 month old abducted right here in New Mexico.
Now, I read that the body of a 10 year old girl (likely that of one of the above mentioned abductees) has been found. It’s enough to make me sick.
Has the world grown that much more evil since I was a kid? I’ve heard it said that its simply a matter of social/mass media getting the message out more quickly and wide spread than ever before. I don’t know the stats. There may be just as many child abductions now as there were in 1985. Maybe I’m just so much more aware of them now, as a mother of two.
Last summer, when my 11 year-old asked if she could walk to the library (two blocks away) by herself, I felt stress wash over me. Could I let her go out alone? Would she be safe? What if something happens?
I finally decided she could go. I sent her with my cell phone. I watched her walk away. I stood in nervous anticipation to watch for her return. She made it, and had a pride at having accomplished something independent.
How do we allow our children to grow up, when we are afraid to let them out of our sights? One approach would be to dismiss my fears, saying “let them be kids and experience life”. I get that, but is it wisdom? I could also shelter them to the point where I have instilled fear in their hearts, and eventually send them out for college afraid and unprepared.
There must be a healthy balance. I have told them what to do if a car pulls alongside and someone tries to ask them a question. They know that they will NEVER be picked up by a stranger. They have been instructed where to kick, punch and bite. They know how to let their voices be heard when a situation gets uncomfortable. They are prayed for.
So what else do I do? If they want to go out and explore life in all their childhood curiosities, I want to give them that freedom. But that doesn’t mean that I will forget my role as a mother and protector. I will though, have to remind myself, that a city bus isn’t an evil vehicle, a mall isn’t the place where children disappear, and a bike ride isn’t a journey to accident or death.
My heart hurts so deeply for those families that are missing children, or have gotten the word of their death. There can be nothing more painful for a parent. I pray for them that they will receive comfort in a way that doesn’t seem humanly possible.
As we draw nearer to spring break, and ultimately summer vacation, I want my children to be armed with knowledge, but free from the anxiety that hurts my heart when I hear these terrible stories. I don’t want them to walk in fear. I don’t want to walk in fear.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
