Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Popped Bubbles

I'll admit it. I live in a bubble. I live in a world where countries attack other countries because the leader of the other country is a big fat meanie and someone needs stop him. I live in a world where the Spirit will lead me to the right person to vote for in an election. I live in a world where Aren can spend the night at his friend's house in his backyard on his trampoline, because what could happen? I live in a world where I imagine nothing but rainbows and ponies for Tatiana as she gets older. But last night my bubble burst.

Aren came home with a bright red piece of paper from school explaining that there was an attempted child abduction at a bus stop that morning. I thought, "How awful!" until I saw the bus stop where it happened...Aren's. My heart stopped. I couldn't comprehend that this could happen. A little girl was walking to the stop when a car stopped her and two men told her it looked like she was struggling with her backpack and did she want a ride. She told them no and then one said, "If you get in my car, I'll give you some candy." The 8 year old girl screamed and ran and luckily the two men left.

Policemen have been patrolling our neighborhood all morning looking for these two men. Every parent was at the bus stop this morning with their children and all had the same look as if saying, "Are you kidding me?" We live in a small town...I can probably count the stoplights...we live in a "nice" neighborhood. Surely this couldn't happen here.

I guess I'm posting this to remind myself of the world we live in. Maybe my bubble needs to burst every so often to keep me in check. Maybe my bubble needed to burst to keep anyone who reads this in check. We live in a scary world...watch out for your children, because if you don't, someone else will.

7 comments:

Melinda said...

That's so scary, MaryBeth! I live in a small town where I think nothing like that will ever happen. Thanks for the reminder that it can. I need to make sure I boys know what to do if that ever happens to them.

Bobbi said...

Wow MaryBeth. That is a wake up call! So scary.

I think I'll go out and wait for my little guy to get home on his bike.

Megan said...

THat is so scary! I always need to be reminded to be more watchfull. It can happen to anyone.
These bubbles are supposed to be industructable aren't they?

*~Petra~* said...

Thats horrible MaryBeth. I am so sorry you guys are going through that where you live. When stuff like that happens it can take forever to feel safe again.

My kids are 12 & 14 and some would say I am over protective of them because I make them check in with me frequently, and insist they are with a group of friends EVERY time they are outside.

We do live in a scary world, and this is a good reminder of how careful we have to be. Thank heavens that in this case no-one was hurt.

kellyclay said...

WOW MaryBeth I am so sorry that you had to go through this we do live in a scary world. my Older kids have a cell phone so that I can get ahold of them at anytime. also I am so thankful that the bus stops right in front of my house.

Holmes Family said...

Okay, now I'm not sure I want to move back there! That is too creepy, and I hope that they catch the weirdos who do things like that. Educating our kids is the absolute best thing we can do, and always make sure there is an adult on patrol that those bus stops. I don't think you can be too careful after we are woken up by these situations.

Elizabeth said...

Oh my gosh, that is so scary! Luckyly we live 1/2 block from where my kids go to school and I am able to walk with them. When I was kid someone tried to kidnap my sister. she was walking to school alone. I told myself if I ever had kids I was going live next door to the school and watch them go to school. Thanks for posting this. We all need a wakeup call now and then to remind us that this is not a safe world we live in all the time and that we need to keep a close eye on our kids.