My Best Intentions

Today I saw two girls who looked about 12 walking down the street, both dressed in mini skirts, low-cut tops and black sheer pantyhose. I was sad. I don't need to mention what they reminded me of.

I think this bothered me because I myself have 2 beautiful, innocent daughters. I will sometime soon have to decide how to balance keeping them innocent and keeping them safe.

There is something so beautiful and pure about the innocence of a child. I have a 3-year-old who believes that everyone in the world is nice and good and loves her; and as a result she loves the world. I know my heart will break the day she has to come to understand that not everyone will love her just for who she is. One day, a friend will betray her or another little girl will say "You're not my friend anymore!" Someday soon she will come to realize that not everyone has her best intentions at heart and for her, that day, the world will cease to be a perfect place.

I know that innocence can not last forever. Our world is cruel and cold and hard. There are people who will prey on the innocent and naive, and I cannot responsibly let her go on in the bubble of innocence forever... as much as it will break my heart. But for now, she is only 3 and I am content to let her be so.

I really am not one who believes that we should bury our heads in the sand, or try to keep our children in some sanitized bubble. They need to understand the world around them. One can only develop compassion when they see suffering; one can only gain understanding by experiencing diversity; and I believe that you really can only meet other's needs when you see that there are those who have them. We need to teach our children how to be in the world but not of it... this is my responsibility as a parent. There are many Christian parents that are parenting out of fear of the world. They are so concerned about keeping their kids from being "contaminated" by the things of the world that they render their own children completely incapable of influencing it. How is the world to learn a better way when there is nobody to show them?

On the other hand, I do not believe that children need to be exposed to everything out there in the name of educating them. There are things that I believe it would be irresponsible or dangerous to expose my children to. Do we teach them that fire is hot by throwing them into it?

I guess I'm just wrestling with how I will responsibly preserve my children's innocence without fostering naivety. I just have to hope and pray that I am able to do the job, allow the Holy Spirit to guide and protect, and try to remember that as much as this world is cruel and cold and hard, that there is still much beauty in it

I guess that concludes my musings for the day...

Much Love,

M