I was in Sydney this morning as I heard the news a kindergarten boy had been hit by a car outside his school and was being rushed to hospital.
My heart shook and tears leaked from my eyes.
Then the awful update that the little boy had passed away.
A family in mourning, before their eyes a son and brother taken too soon.
Every time I heard the news repeated many, many times over the course of day - as I drove into and out of the city - I cried tears for him.
I cried for his mother, as a mother of kindergarten boys (for 8 more days)...as a mother of any age.
I cried for his siblings too.
His teacher and class-mates.
I wanted to go home and hug my own little boys right away.
I even rang my husband and told him to use the traffic lights to cross the road when he picked them up and to be
It reminded me of another time.
Before the world became as it is today...when children used to walk home alone.
It was safe enough then.
I was 12, my parents worked and we made our own way home.There was a bitumen pathway virtually from school gate to home.
I remember arriving home from school and other children stopping to tell me my sister , aged 7 , had been run over , thrown in air and there was an ambulance and police. I didn't even know if she was alive. I think a neighbour went to the scene about 5 mins away.
My sister attempted to cross a road she need not have.
The rest of the afternoon/evening was a blur as my parents rushed to her and neighbours cared for my brother and I.
My sister was alive and though not terribly injured she had sustained a compound (bone breaks through skin) fracture to her leg and spent 3 weeks in hospital. We weren't allowed to visit her either in those days.
She bears a long indented scar.
I don't know why am I even telling you this.
A child doesn't have the visual judgement of an adult, they are unpredictable.
Be vigilant .
Be aware always.
Please slow down.
Other drivers are equally unpredictable , one attempted to change lanes on top of me on the motorway, this afternoon too. They weren't intentionally trying to cause a collision but they came with mm of one and damn well scared
I had to break sharply and suddenly, screeching my brakes , everything on my front /back seats went crashing to the floor. I'm glad my children were not with me. No damage, except to my fragile mental state. I think they almost cracked it though.
The vehicle stopped momentarily and as there was no crash they continued on ...
Then tonight a little black duck tried to cross the two -laned road ...I'm serious, on the way back from my visiting my friend. I saw the duck in the nick of time and barely missed it. Ducks are unpredictable too ...though avoiding a collision with one is far more dangerous.
No wonder I'm on edge tonight. Please...
♥
