Greetings one and all and welcome to the Official Start of Summer edition of Laura's Links.
It actually feels like a regular summer: you know, the kind we had before March 2020. Schools here are winding down, camps and summer cottaging are ramping up, and the smell of backyard barbecues is in the air. I'm trying to slow down a little bit and "smell the roses" as the saying goes, but it continues to be really busy in my life and household in pretty much every direction. When I want to take a break from the day-to-day hamster wheel of life, I take out the usual toolbox: mindless fiction, list-making, baking, and (Lord help me) social media. And then I see something like this, and I realize we (and when I say we, I mean the civilized world), are doomed. HEAD FOR THE HILLS!!!!
Anyway, I mentioned last week that things have been a little bit bumpy in the special needs parenting department and Mr. C was also feeling the same. But when I deeply internalized and circuitously ruminated, he was a little more open about the situation. That was kind of uncharacteristic of him because generally speaking, there are very few people with whom we share these kinds of details.
As it happens, this was the better choice. He spontaneously spoke to a colleague, a man of deep faith, and opened up his heart a little about what has been going on.
"S", as I'll refer to him, told my husband not to despair and to take heart "because he chose you". Now, normally when people say that, they mean "He" chose you, i.e "G-d chose you to be special needs parents". They mean well, but it's not really always (or ever) what we want to or need to hear. And sometimes, it translates to us into 'oh boy, I'm glad I'm not you and I'm glad that ain't my kid', depending on tone, facial gestures and other variables. It's meant to be nice, but it sometimes unwittingly comes out condescending or patronizing.
But what "S" meant, and he clarified this explicitly, was that our son chose us.
What do I take from that beautiful and kind sentiment?
I understand that in the unknowable ether of pre-life, that in the magical and mystic clouds of all the pre-born human souls in the heavens, that under loving and infinite canopy of G-d's love in the cosmos, our son looked around at who his parents might be, consulted with G-d and said: those two, that's my mom and dad right over there, those are my forever parents. So in trying moments, I'll try to remind myself: he chose you. That's not a small thing.
Here's hoping the warm glow of sweet summer sunshine brings us a radiant, good weekend and week.
See you in the comments.
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North America:
LOLOLOL not sure I could love this more.
As per Neil Oliver: this is happening because the people in charge want it to be happening. If they didn't, it would stop. And a reminder that it's never "just" about the Jews. The proliferation of antisemitism in a culture is a warning of its decline. This bodes very, very badly for America.
OHHH THAT COULD NEVER HAPPEN HERE. Yep, just keep waving that Constitution!
The War on Trump: "The appropriate legal framework through which to view the indictment is election interference—it's the latest leg in the Department of Justice's ongoing effort to bar Trump from the White House that began in 2016."
COMMON SENSE SPOTTED IN CANADA!!
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Jews and Israel:
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The Great Walkbackening, Reckoning and Accounting.
OH WHO COULD HAVE EVER KNOWN OR PREDICTED?
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The Formerly Great Britain:
British high school education.
This is kind of weird, isn't it? Borrowing horses? Why should private citizens be lending horses to the mounted police?
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Kooks, Predators and Trans:
Good. This is the way.
This is happening to your children because those in power want it to be happening.
Good. These are exactly the people who should not be having children.
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Human Grace:
This. There is power in truth.
Blessed are the truth tellers.
It's open thread time! Log into SteynOnline and let Laura know what you think of these stories or other happenings from week that was. Commenting privileges are among the many perks of membership in The Mark Steyn Club. While going off topic is permitted on Laura's Links, do stick to the other rules as you engage: no URLs, no profanity, and no ad hominem attacks.
