Our Hearts Have Fallen

A year ago today I pulled my teen and pre-teen from their schools, boarded a plane, and embarked on a 10-day road trip from Albuquerque to Vegas. Over the nearly 2,000 miles we traveled and the three states we crossed, we saw sights like no other. From nothingness to every-thing-ness. Sheer drops that made us crouch low to hug the earth as we caught our breath. And this hooded kid. Standing on every single edge, challenging me to make him step away. To be more careful. But when you are 12, being cautious is not part of the journey. No one can tell you otherwise. He was fine. It was my heart that fell every time.

Exactly one year later, the three of us find ourselves together, crouched down low, placing flowers at the memorial site of a 16-year-old kid. Catching our breath. A neighbor, a friend, a community. And this time, all of our hearts fall.