Raising Resilience Daily

There’s a heaviness in the air lately. Not just the cold, not just the ice, but the unrest that’s settled into our communities. As a parent, and as a leader at work, it feels like I’m holding two worlds that are both asking for safety, clarity, and calm when none of us really have answers.

I have team members working in the busiest parts of the city who now think twice about something as simple as going to the grocery store. Not because they’re directly at risk, but because the unknown feels louder than usual. The “what ifs” sit closer to the surface. And as their leader, I feel that weight. I feel responsible for helping them navigate fear in a world that suddenly feels unpredictable.

At home, I’ve tried so hard to shelter my kids from all of this. Not to hide reality, but to protect their innocence. To keep them in that beautiful space where people are just people. Where differences are interesting, not defining. I want to hold onto that for them as long as I possibly can.

But today… today crushed me.

I’m fully aware of my privilege as a white woman who has never had to think about these things for myself. I’ve never had to question my safety because of the color of my skin. I’ve never had to explain to my kids why the world treats people differently. And yet, when my child came home repeating things kids were saying at school, I felt that bubble of innocence burst. And once it pops, there’s no putting it back.

I didn’t have answers. I don’t even have all the facts—who does? So I did what moms do. I gave her enough to ease her mind. Enough to help her feel safe. Enough to remind her that people are people first, always. Regardless of skin color, where they come from, or how they identify.

But tonight… this momma’s heart is heavy.

Heavy with the reality that the world is creeping in sooner than I wanted. Heavy with the responsibility of raising good humans in a time that feels uncertain. Heavy with the hope that somehow, even in all of this, my kids will keep seeing the world through the lens of humanity first.

Raising leaders, chasing goals, and occasionally losing my mind.