"I know why the flags are at half-mast...."

The conversation went like this:

7-year-old: "Mom, I know why the flags in front of the school are at half-mast."
Me: "You do? How come?"
7-year-old: "Because of what happened in Florida."
Me: (Oh, god, no...) "You are right. What have you heard about what happened?"
7-year-old: "I heard that a hero sacrificed himself to save a bunch of kids and he was very brave."

Later that night I asked both of my kids if they have "safety drills" at school. They both told stories about the "weird" things they had to do, like huddle behind a bookshelf, or hide in the closet with "all the smelly boys," as my daughter put it. In just talking to them about it, I can feel my chest get tight. I don't know what to say to them about the possibility that there might come a time when they have to protect themselves at school. Or about the fact that they may only have a flimsy bookshelf or a closet door between them and someone with a gun.

I know there has been a lot of talk about guns in schools over the past few weeks, and I don't know that I have anything to say that hasn't already been said. But, as a parent of little people who I send out into the world every day, it's hard to stay silent. Even before this recent tragedy, one of the things I wished for most is better gun control laws. It is something I want with a passion. It's something that seems so common-sense to me, so obvious. But again and again, we end up in the same situation with nothing done to stop it. And every day I face small-minded people who tell me things like "you can't take away guns, because I like to have them." The insanity of statements like those continue to blow my mind.


Yet, this time feels different.

Finally, FINALLY, young people are demanding change. Corporations are taking social responsibility. Voters are choosing new leaders. Finally we might just do something about this massive problem that makes me a little bit scared every day that I bring my children to school.

My son's observation about the hero is maybe the most hopeful, most frightening part. His voice softened when he talked about that man, almost in awe. I know that he has the biggest heart. He loves to make other people happy. He thinks his friends are the absolute greatest people on earth. I believe that my son would be the one who chooses to be a hero in that situation. And that's what scares me most of all.


Please, let's make a change so he never has to be.