On our usual Friday morning outing, we visited our local library, a cafe and the park. It was hard to avoid the news. Hard to the move the librarian onto changing the subject. Difficult to switch the children’s attention from the blaring news on the radio in the cafe. The news was bad. And try as I might to put a brave face on when a terrorist attack happens, today I couldn’t. It has happened too many times in France over the last year. They are resilient these French people but to attack on Bastille day is is, well, there are no words.

I turn the children’s attention to the smartie cookies in the cafe, I spill my own coffee, ‘silly mommy.’ They smile their usual beautiful smiles and I know how good they are. Naturally, they are absolute rascals, just ask the librarian about the terrible two tantrum she witnessed as books flew from shelves this morning. But nonetheless, they are good.

Everything in life, teaching, farming, parenting is a walk on the line between good and evil as you guide your children on the good side, as best you can, so they don’t stray onto the bad. Unfortunately, you can’t fix the world for them. So we continue to walk them along that path until the day we have to let go of their hand as they walk into the world for themselves. There are always goodies and baddies I tell them, or they tell me. In their stories the goodies always win. I wish that it were so.

Courage, mes amis. On t’aime.