I try to talk to my son like I would any other kid, or even an adult. That doesn't necessarily mean I tell him off color jokes about the papists, but it does mean I've avoided baby talk with him. Recently we were watching a cartoon he likes where the characters were going over the basics of counting by tens. I could see his frustration at this new concept as he asked "Why?", he's been learning 1, 2, 3 and now he's expected to understand 10, 20, 30. So, I explained to him that sometimes there's too many things to count easily. So, instead of counting 1-100 we count by tens.
It's like the way he counted already, 1, 2, 3 but with a zero after. It's not exact, and it doesn't let you appreciate each individual being counted, but it makes it easier to keep track of how many there are. And ultimately, it's faster, so you don't spend all morning counting and you can get on to other things like playing dinosaur and eating yogurt.
I'm sure someone else could've explained it better, I'm sure he didn't completely understand me, but he seemed satisfied with my explanation...
Like a lot of parents, I sometimes wonder what kind of person my son will be when he grows up. I like to imagine him growing up as a perfect alloy of the best qualities of both his mother and myself. But if I'm being honest with myself, I know he will be imperfect. He is human, and he will certainly be a blend of both parents with the added spice of experience and environment. Both like and unlike us, and that is as it should be. The point is, I don't know what he will be like when he grows up. So, I only want him to grow up, safe and loved.
Love, he's got that in abundance, the safe part however, that sometimes feels like a vain hope...
HERE COMES THE SADS
By now, we all know more about the Orlando shooting than we probably want to. In the coming days, we'll learn more. The truth is, the details won't do much but offer perspective to a horrific act of violence. At best, it might help some frame this terrible incident in some way that makes sense. The shooter is dead, along with fifty innocent people, another fifty were injured. The details don't bring back the dead. They don't stop a monster from being a monster.
These highly publicized mass shootings have become far too common in recent years for Americans, with the only real winners being news outlets that get a big bump from selling the story and people who sell guns. And no, I'm not going to get political about this. But, I will say that it makes me sick to my stomach. Because, I know it's happened before. I know it's happening right now. And I know it will happen again. And, all I'm left with is the simple question, "Why?"
Because this whole thing, from top to bottom makes absolutely no sense to me. I would write more, but honestly I just don't think I can.
If you or someone you love has been affected by one of these senseless acts of violence, whether it was Columbine, Sandy Hook, VA Tech, Orlando or any one of numerous others, my heart goes out to you, I will listen if you need to talk (always confidential, contact me at k.srsbusiness@gmail.com or find me on Facebook).
And if you would like to Support Victims of Pulse Shooting
https://www.gofundme.com/PulseVictimsFund
With that, I leave you. But I'll be back with something a little more cheery next time, I promise.
K
