I took my responsibility to raise my kids to be good human beings very seriously.  I taught them to be kind and forgive others who were not. To pray and have faith that God would draw someone’s heart to Him.  That everyone makes mistakes but it’s never too late to start making good choices. That God loves everyone and so should they. That it was wrong to judge others for their faults.

But I missed teaching them something important… 

Not everyone is safe. There are those that are so wounded by life and experience that they will ultimately destroy those that try to love or help them.

Now I watch my children as adults try to navigate this sometimes cruel world with their hearts of gold and the best of intentions. And I am afraid for them.

I now wish I had taught them that it’s ok to walk away. That you can forgive someone from a distance without attempting to reconcile. That sometimes people are too dangerous to keep close and they need to be let go. That life is not black and white but shades of complicated gray… and colors we may not even recognize. That the gift of family that God gives us should be cherished and protected from anyone or anything that is destructive.

And so now I am left to pray that they learn when to walk away before experiencing the harsh consequences of being kind and forgiving without the balance of wise boundaries to keep them from harm.