I can't look at the images of the suspected Boston Marathon Bomber. I don't see a killer, a maimer, the devil, one so evil. I see a son, a 19 year old college kid. His father said, "Not my son. My son is an angel." Is he? Was he?
I've heard that claim before, a parent's blind support. Growing up there where two brothers that lived up the street. They teased us. Pushed us off our bikes. Their mom said, "Not my son." A few years go by and their names are in the paper. Arrested for breaking and entering, stealing, drugs and sent to jail. "Not my son." And then the worst for a parent, their sons names are listed one last time. For their obituary, death due to complications, AIDS. "Not my son."
Is life so much clearer with hindsight? Or are we still blinded by love?
Boston Marathon bombing results: five dead, 180 maimed, thousands scarred for life.
4 comments:
Deep breath.
And pray.
A coping mechanism perhaps? Not saying that I disagree with you, but I think our love as parents can sometimes make it very difficult to see and accept what others see so readily. Our children are to a very large degree a reflection of ourselves and looking long and hard at yourself in the mirror is not always easy. I agree with both of you that breathing and prayers are required.
Tammy, you make a great point here. How can this be, how can our child be this way or that, after all our great effort? At some point we have to let go and recognize them as separate from ourselves for better and for worse. As parents we do our best and pray our children take what we give them and build upon it.
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