In today’s world, mothers often find themselves donning a brave face to face the challenges that arise. It’s a role we embrace, even when the weight feels overwhelming.
Reflecting on the harrowing events that have marked our society, I recall the tragic day in 1999 when two teenagers unleashed terror in a Colorado high school, claiming the lives of 13 students. I was a new mother, cradling my 1-year-old and grappling with the thought: How can I allow him to venture into such a world? Yet, I steeled myself, put on my brave face, and began to guide him toward independence. It’s simply what mothers do.
Fast forward to September 11, 2001. With two little ones under the age of three, I stood paralyzed in my kitchen, tears streaming down my face as I watched the news unfold. My heart ached as I looked down at my children clinging to my legs. What kind of world had I brought them into? Yet again, I summoned my courage. Brave face? Check. It’s just what mothers do.
Then came the heartbreaking news from Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, where 26 lives were lost. I had a first-grader at the time, and sending him off to school the next day required every ounce of strength I could muster. But I did it. It’s what mothers do.
The thought of a movie theater shooting left me grappling with fear. How could I possibly allow my teenagers to attend films again? I had to put on my brave face once more. It’s just what mothers do.
In 2007, the Virginia Tech shooting claimed 32 victims on a college campus, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever be able to send my child off to college. Eventually, I did, just as countless mothers do each year—standing proudly at dorm curbs, sending their kids off to boot camps and training academies. We release them into the world, all while wearing our brave faces.
My brave face is increasingly weary, worn down from the emotional toll of what it means to be a mother in challenging times. Though it becomes harder to wear each day, it remains vital. I cannot keep my children cocooned within my home. I refuse to let the barrage of tragic news and paralyzing worries suffocate me. I cannot promise my children a completely safe and happy future—that would be unrealistic. What I can promise is to continue putting on my brave face for them. When they step out the front door each day, I want it to be the last thing they see.
Perhaps, in doing so, they will carry forward the lessons of courage and resilience, understanding that life is meant for living, not hiding.
Brave faces: it’s just what mothers do.
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