Our life spun with a hint of unpredictability. I wondered if we were unsteady—shifting here and there— if we were upsetting balance. I questioned, like all parents do, if we were making the right choices for our family.

Child, I will pray that the storms won’t come, all while knowing that some will. This world is fractured. No matter how hard I protect you, you will know the brokenness of it.

As my ideas dissolved into reality, I took it personally. What was poked holes in all of my assumptions of what should be. I was failing. Until I rephrased my question.

The question flew out of my mouth when I was disappointed, agitated, or frustrated… Things wouldn’t change until I changed my approach.

A chalkboard hangs on our living room wall reminding us of our own family’s core values. The truth is, there could be one million good things to spend our life for. But if we focus on everything, we’ll end up focusing on nothing.

I looked at the clock on the oven and once I said “go,” my ears filled with words and phrases that broke my heart.