An Ordinary Mom's Musings

It was my first quarter back at College after being gone for 10 years. I sat in an English class, realizing that I was one of the oldest people in the class.

I watched people walk by the door of the classroom through the window in the door. I remembered the times I had sat in front of a TV thanking God my kids weren’t old enough to go to College after watching the reporting of a mass shooting.

The rest of the content of the English class was lost on me. I spent my time instead, scanning the room and my classmates. If a shooting happened, how would we lock the doors to restrict access? There were doors at both ends of the room giving easy access. Where would we hide? The classroom was very open with just tables and chairs.  Would putting paper over the windows on the door help? Or would it just help a shooter realize that there were people in the classroom? Which of my classmates could I depend on to help make sure that everyone was safe in that situation? Which ones would be paralyzed with fear?

This is what my husband lives with daily as a Law-Enforcement Officer and a Soldier who has been to war.  Whenever we are out, he is scanning the crowds. When we sit down at a restaurant his back must always be towards the wall so that he can view everyone coming and going. Just this one little taste of this was exhausting for me. What would it be to live like that every day?

I appreciate these glimpses into my husband’s brain. It helps me understand why he gets so upset when the house or cars aren’t locked up tight in our extremely quiet neighborhood. It makes me feel safe knowing that I have someone who has been trained what to do in an emergency and has learned how to use that training under pressure. He’s remarkably calm in those types of situations.

Take a minute today and say a prayer or thank the military men and women and the first responders who keep us safe. Those who will run towards the emergency and not away from it.