A few short weeks ago, I let my teenager go with her friends to a 2 day outdoor concert event in Philadelphia called the Made in America Festival. Admittedly, I was nervous about her taking the train, navigating her way through the big city and attending an event with 50,000 other concert-goers. Still, as a parent, we are told to give our kids roots and wings and this seemed to be as good an opportunity as any to show her that we trust her and for her to show us that she could be trusted. And it was. She demonstrated her street smarts and independence by figuring out the train schedules and getting herself to and from the event without getting lost. She showed common sense and kept her word when she stayed with her friends at all times whether they went to the bathroom, got snacks or watched the different bands on various stages throughout the large venue. The only piece of parental advice I gave her that day was to stay alert. Stay alert to her surroundings among strangers. She knew what I meant. And then I watched her walk out the door and I refused to fall asleep until she walked back in later that night. This morning, I woke up to news of the shooting at a similar venue in Las Vegas and I couldn’t help but think – what if? What if that happened in our city? It isn’t unreasonable to think so. What if she was caught in the middle of that kind of chaos? What if I never was able to go to bed that night? All day long, I’ve thought about whether or not I would still send her to that concert today. And I know the answer is yes. Because I don’t want her to be afraid of going to a concert, a nightclub or a ball game or get on a plane or travel abroad. I want her to live her life to the fullest. I want her to enjoy the music of her youth and make tons of memories with her friends. And above all, I don’t want them to win. As I take a stand with others today against gun violence, I gave her a hug this morning, told her I love her – as I do every day – and this time snuck in an extra squeeze for the parents across the country whom I don’t even know whose children will never come home.
