Obviously everyone knows about the tragic shooting in Aurora by now. It's strange, I know the area very well, I've shopped near there many times. People have written endlessly about the victims, the killer, the movie, trying to make sense of it all. I keep coming back to one image and I can't shake it. A mother and a father chose to take a 4 year old little girl and a 3 month old baby boy to a midnight showing of the Dark Knight. Obviously they had no way of knowing there would be a massacre, but setting that aside, they chose to subject that little girl to a dark, violent and psychologically twisted movie that is way beyond her comprehension. They did so because, in the words of her cowardly father (the one who dropped his infant son and left his family behind) "We need to have a life too."
Before I had kids I loved to go dancing. Mike and I loved going to Vegas. We would have friends over for parties that turned into weekend affairs. Yes, I gave many of those things up when Sophie was born. We did go to Vegas once but it never even occurred to us to take her with us. Our parties were still fun but usually ended by 8pm instead of 8am. We found ways to have a life with our children, one that was suitable for all involved. This difference struck me today while I was making bread with Soph. After we kneaded the bread she helped me bag candy for a new client. We watched My Little Pony and Orion danced to all the songs. The day was definitely not Top Chef material but it was a pretty darn good day.
I left my life as a chef so that I could be a parent, and ended up starting an amazing company. Who knew that I would end up being an entrepreneur because of my kids? Who knew I would finally conquer bread? Letting go of my selfish needs and wants and taking care of my innocents' needs led me to where I am now, and I know that my children are happy, safe and well adjusted. So to the parents who think taking a 4 year old to ANY midnight movie is ok, I say Grow UP. It's not about you anymore, deal with that and move on. I can't comprehend the scars that little girl now has on her psyche because of a demented killer. What makes it even worse is that she shouldn't have been there at all. Neither should that sweet little girl that died, they should have been home in their own beds.
I know that everyone is all up in arms (pun intended) about gun control now and I am well aware that the NRA is too powerful for any change to come on that end. Couldn't we focus instead on theaters? Why not make it a rule that PG 13 means no one under 13 and R means no one under 17. Period. It's a nice thought isn't it?
I was going to post a recipe but I don't have the stomach for it. Tomorrow I'll post the recipe for Carnitas that my family loves. For tonight I'm going to settle in with my husband, now that the kids are bathed and tucked in bed, and watch a single episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I have a life, and I love it.
I agree with you 100%. My first thought when I found out that there were LITTLE children in that theater was, "What the hell were those parents thinking?" And for reasons you know too well, I was almost as angry at those parents as I was at the shooter. What I wouldn't give to have what they don't care about...
ReplyDeleteYes. I guess I just never saw it as a sacrifice. My two bring me so much joy and fun and silliness that losing the ability to stay out until 2am didn't seem like a bad trade. I thought of you too. You know that you made the most of the too short time you had with Scarlett, and that she was and is so loved and safe.
DeleteI am always appalled (and don't hesitate to say so) when I go to R rated movies and see small children. I saw 3 families with children under the age of 6 (couple were toddlers) at the showing of The Gray. Very graphic and scary movie for me! And people wonder what is wrong with our children? Most kids have really crappy parents!
ReplyDeleteLaura