Why am I mad? Because a man offered my child a ride to school yesterday morning. Yes, it was cold, and yes, it’s possible his intentions were good, but it doesn’t matter.
Normal, well-adjusted adults know better.
My son handled the situation perfectly, and I’m incredibly proud of him and thankful that he’s been paying attention to the messages he gets from us and at school. But, I’m angry because the man stole our sense of security and rattled my son’s confidence in the world.
He liked walking to school, but for now, I’m driving him because I’d rather overreact than under-react. Obviously, a good neighborhood is no guarantee of safety. With one simple act, this guy turned our routine upside down and changed our whole notion of what was safe.
And that was with a good outcome.
On a small level it reminds me of a terrorist threat. Out of fear, we change our behavior in hopes of preventing something that may not be a threat at all. But what else can we do? Because if we don’t change our behavior and something happens, we’ll never be able to forgive ourselves for the consequences.
That’s why I’m mad.
Rich
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