Yesterday, as I walked in the door after picking up my little kids from school, I got a text message from my 17 yo at boarding school.
Someone was loose at his school with a gun. All the boarding school kids had been mustered back to the college and locked down. They were all OK.
This is my child. Hours away, in the care of strangers.
I rang him on his mobile and reassured myself that he was fine, and safe, but it felt completely bizarre for me to be sitting in my home, with no gun-men in sight, while my little boy (who is 6 feet tall) was locked up for safety.
And I started to think about how, with absolutely no warning, your life can take a sharp right turn, and set you on a road that you never thought you would walk on. Babies can go to sleep and not wake up, on an otherwise totally normal day. Phones can ring with news of illness, accidents and deaths. Partners can walk out one day and just never come back.
This illusion we have, that we have some control over our lives and what happens to us -- it's a lie. The reality is, things can happen with no warning at all. And when they do, you'd better have someone to help you through. Because we can't always do it on our own.
I heard about that, and Im glad he's ok!
ReplyDeleteThis was a very touching post, and Im sorry that your mind went there. Its scary when you realise that we have no control of the things in our lives that mean the most, and have the biggest impact on us, and everyone around us. I have much more to say, but wont, mainly because I dont have the guts, but I am glad that you have people around to lean on in bad times.
OMG! I can't imagine what that feels like. OMG! Unbelievable. I'm so glad he's okay. x
ReplyDeleteSuch a text message would make my heart skip a beat or two while my brain went into overdrive. Glad to hear your boy is okay.
ReplyDeleteSO glad your boy is okay....and what you wrote about your little boy "who is 6 feet tall". This made me think of my own 7 yr old, it doesn't matter that he will be bigger than me, he will always be my baby boy.....great post. Really got me thinking xx
ReplyDeleteWow. How awful. Thank GOD he's alright. That is so true though. It's almost scary how unpredictable life is.
ReplyDeleteI saw what he wrote on facebook .... it is horribly scary, isn't it? Thank god he is alright!
ReplyDeleteAnd I know where you are coming from with the changes that can happen in the blink of an eye. I know only too well how things can change dramatically.