Who's Got Your Back?

I spent part of today in in-school suspension. With a 10-year old. I am a tutor and I got to be the "good cop" when all the other teachers, administrators and the counselor had to be the "bad cops." They had to be stern. The student required a disciplinary action. But I was the lucky one. I got to praise, smile, encourage, teach, uplift, strengthen, build-up. Even though all of us had the tantamount responsibility of helping this student see he has potential, I got to approach the situation with a "You're doing great in math, and you don't want to get behind, do you? Come on! You can do this!" John Belushi/Animal House type of enthusiasm. And it was a blessing to see this student believe in himself again. Believe he could turn things around, take a hard situation and make the best of it. And he learned the Metric System for the first time (10dm=1m, oh joy!) because it was obvious to him I had his back. (so did all the other teachers and administrators, and some day, he'll understand that!)

When I think of think about the person in my life who uplifts me the most, I think of my mother. ("Don't worry, someday Chris will realize you are a wonderful mother and he's lucky to have you," etc.) She's always been there for me. She's got my back.

And on this infamous anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, I question how much I've done to protect the unborn. Imagine being completely dependent on someone else for oxygen, for the blood that pumps through your body, for the nutrients to your brain. It is at their whim that you take your next breath. The child in the womb is the most vulnerable person in our society. There is no human so completely at the mercy of a mother in this world.

I pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Protector of the Unborn, that she will pray with us, that our loving hearts will understand the beauty of life, the gift children are to all of us, and the awesome responsibility we have to protect the innocent. From this day forward, I make this pledge to the Unborn- From now on, I've got your back.