Ready for Anything

by Jonathan

My daughter Lilyana and I were walking at a crosswalk yesterday, when up the street I noticed a Toyota Prius approaching and slowing down.  Earlier in the morning I’d heard about the uncontrollably accelerating Prius in CA, and instantly visions of the car not stopping flashed through my mind along with plans and alternatives for grabbing Lil and getting her out of the way should the car not stop.  The hair on my arms prickled, my muscles tensed, and my chest tightened.  I hurried her along and a few seconds later, we waved to the driver and were across the street.

Uncharacteristically, Lilyana almost immediately sat down on a little stone wall. I now think it was her way of recovering from my moving her faster than she was ready to go, for she was only there for a moment and then we were on our way to the playground.  As for me, I didn’t relax until we were safely among the sun-warmed woodchips under the jungle gym.

I continue to be amazed at the instant reactions of our bodies and minds, that even a few words in a newscast can be a trigger.  Our readiness to respond anytime and anywhere to potential threats is critical to survival and can be a source of stress, and I learn a lot from my daughter and other young people about how I as a parent can spend too much time being ready for threats that don’t actually exist in the moment.