Dear Julian,
Tonight as I tuck you into bed, and watch you sleep I can't help but wonder how will we guide you and will our guidance be enough? I believe that we are all born good and evil slithers its way into some people's lives and makes them bad people. There have been recent events that have involved young men and their violence against women. This is nothing new and the types of crimes happen all the time unreported, but the media has once again shon a spotlight on the issue. The first thought I come up with are who raised these boys? What happened to them where they can so easily hurt and destroy another human beings life? How does violence against women become indoctrined in some people's lives, so that it is habituated, normalized and trivialized? How is that other young people can stand by and watch someone be victimized? How is it that other young women blame their sisters and not help when they are in danger How can they lay blame on the victim and exclude themselves from the blame by just being a passerby.
How will we encourage you to risk to be the one to stand up and intervene, to risk the wrath of social pressure and isolation, how will you just know what is right and wrong and stand up for your beliefs and lead others to do the same? I know in my heart you would never be involved in the evils I am talking about...but smaller injustices happen every day. I guess we model to you how to have empathy, to have respect for yourself and those around you. I realize I too need to raise the bar in my own life, to watch my behaviour in my relationships, and to recognize that everything I do reflects on you. I hope I will be able to teach you humility in recognizing where I have gone wrong and the hard work of making things right again. I hope that my ideals are put to action so that you don't grow up talking but grow up in action.
As I go to bed myself all I can think of is play, play, play. Our world isn't going to let you be a child for too long....xoxo I love you forever
