Perspective

All dressed up and ready to go.

It doesn't matter how close you stand to someone, you're never able to see the same thing from the same angle. Also, we can look over the neighbors fence and imagine what life must be like in their shoes. As the adage says, you're never sure of someone situation until you spend a day in their shoes. Man...I was walking in those shoes today and things have never been clearer to me.

I have been in education for 18 years, and for the first time, my eyes were opened a way that caused me to really reflect. Tanya and I took the boys to their first day of daycare today. WOW! You take your child and leave them with a complete stranger. Many of us wouldn't let a stranger drive our cars or borrow $5, but we gladly hand our children to them. To be honest, she isn't a total stranger, Tanya and I met with their "teacher" last week. I still wouldn't let her drive my car. We dropped them off and went to breakfast. I dropped tanya off at home and swung by the daycare. When I saw that they were just fine, I got back in my car and drove to work; to take care of other people's children with a new sense of purpose.

Everyday, parents drop their children off to school and trust that the adults in the building will protect and keep their child safe. I never knew what those emotions were like or how parents must really feel. Sure, I've met with parents and tried to give them a sense of comfort, safety and security, but with today's revelation, I will take every necessary step needed to allay all their fears.

I can still see my mother's face as my plane taxied away from the terminal, as I left for college. She had the same tissue in her hands that had been drying her tears all morning. For the first time that morning, I actually saw her wiping away the tears she had been hiding all morning.

I'm gonna shed my share of tears for Jacob and Amari.