I don’t think I ever understood fear until my children came into my life. Perhaps it’s because I never really was afraid of anything before…
then- not even of my own mortality. Before parenthood, fear was unknown, uncharted, scary. It was standing at the edge of a cliff, afraid to dive into the water beckoning below. It sought to limit me, but I always felt it could be overcome. As my kids came into my life, however, fear became something different. It no longer was about me, it was about them. Fear was a visceral emotion that overcame me when I thought about my children being hurt, suffering, or lost- and it still does. Fear has become the impetus for me to prepare, love, and to the best of my abilities, protect, my children.
it helps, you know, to hear physicians speak so personally. You will continue to be a good and smart healer for doing so. And I know about the kids part, it’s so hard. I just pray and I ask God to hold them. I even ask him to play soccer alongside them, climb alongside them, dance alongside them. I ask for them to be held in the blessed light of protection and I trust, most times, that my prayer is heard and answered.