Gone in a minute, how fragile life is

On the weekend this 17 year old boy was killed up in Nelson House Reserve. This boy was not a gang member and he didn't like violence. He stood up against violence in the way he knew how. He participated in the Canadian Cancer Society fund raising runs. He was once featured in a newspaper story for his stand against being bullied. He also participated in a community running group that was dedicated against violence. I never knew this boy. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/violent-gangs-infest-slain-teens-reserve-56535047.html

His story is one that reminds us that there are horrors in life. But what are we to do? Wait for something to happen? Brace for the inevitable? I don't know. Today at the park I took my two year old granddaughter. There is a play structure there. She fell over six feet onto her head and face. I was too slow and not watching as closely as I should. I took it for granted that nothing would happen. I saw her smash her head on the ground. I was freaked out, scared, angry, sad and sort of shocked. I picked her up and held onto her. She was shocked. Too shocked to cry. I brought her home right away. She didn't seem hurt. I had awful thoughts all the way home and still feel uncomfortable. I feel overwhelmed by the idea that she could have been seriously hurt.

Freak accidents, disease, violence is something that we hope never falls onto our loved ones. But as we see in life there are no guarantees. I guess the only thing we can do is try to keep the odds in our favour. We make sure to have our kids in the car seat. We make sure to feed them nourishing food. We keep them in school and in sports. We try to be role models for them. All the while hoping it doesn't happen to us. After all it is suppose to happen to someone else.

With Reserve life and inner city life, it's hard to put the odds in your favour. That boy was trying, but even then...no guarantees.

And then something happens like this:

"A child is in hospital in guarded condition after apparently being assaulted and left near a Winnipeg playground.

The Winnipeg Police Service's child abuse unit is investigating and a female has been taken into custody for questioning.

According to police, officers were called to the corner of Tyndall Avenue and Chudley Street, next to Shaughnessy Park, at about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police released little information about the incident, other than to say the victim is believed to be younger than two years old.

Tyler Bilsborrow spoke to CBC News after providing police with information as a witness. He was having a cigarette outside his home on Chudley Street when he heard screams and went to look. He saw a woman he described as in her 20s slamming something against the sidewalk.

In the dark, Bilsborrow thought the small thing being beaten was a cat. When he approached the woman, she dropped the child and ran off.

'You couldn't really tell [the child's gender] because there was so much blood.'—Tyler Bilsborrow"

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/09/01/mb-child-assault-winnipeg.html#socialcomments