Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 22, 2026
Being Safe, Prayers All Will Be Safe
Where was your safe place as a child and later as a teen? Who were the individuals or groups who taught you about safety and provide you safety as a child…as a teen. Today, who are you teaching about safety and being free from harm? In what ways is your 2026 teaching different than what you were taught and shown as a child?
- For many of us physical, emotional and spiritual safety begins with our parents, spouse and children. Longtime friends make each other aware of national and local justice issues, walk the block on behalf of a political candidate, or joining others volunteering at a local Food Bank to prepare meals and promote food security for children, families, and elders.
My safe place as a child was our downtown library. Today, all libraries post an exterior Safe Place sign for anyone seeking assistance from harm. When learning what was best in my professional work, I was encouraged to take reasonable risks in my commitment to service to others in their neighborhoods, schools and worship centers.
- Our individual energy and effort to live with kindness and safety requires the same energy and effort, along with caring, compassion, and open desire for safety for all people. Being mindful of how and where we walk, where we gather with friends, family and peers can add to our sense of safe living and resist becoming isolated in our home or apartments.
Applause and recognition for All the Empty Rooms being awarded a recent Oscar for the CBS documentary. For seven years Steve Hartman (reporter) and Lou Bopp (cameraman) said hello and listened to families suffering a child’s death through a school shooting. Each family maintained their child’s room as their child left their safe place for their neighborhood school.
- In the March 29th Sunday Letter, I will share a one-way Beth and I are promoting knowing our neighbors on our block. Again, we are all more safe in our togetherness than in our separation and isolation from each other.
Roy, only safe as we all are safe
As a child I had difficulty feeling safe. My father died when I was 2 and I was sent to live with my Unvle Paul and Aunt Gertrude. My brother and sister were old enough to work the Cotten fields but I was not. I was well treated because they had no children and when my mother learned that they were starting proceedings to adopt me she borrowed a car and brought me home at the age of 5. I don’t remember anything about that time but I do remember being fearful when my mother wasn’t around. Parents or Grandparents are out stable, safe places. I am much more aware of my surroundings than I used to be. I am cautious about where I shop. I look around at my surroundings more and take measures to be as safe as possible. Some things I have no control over but when I do I am vigilant. I know my close neighbors and if they don’t see me for a day they check on me. I will be moving to an Independent Living place when a spot becomes available and one of the reasons I chose it was their attention to safety. We live in a different world than the one I grew up in. We have cell phone, security systems on our homes, our doors are locked and we are leery of strangers. We become isolated by our fears, hopefully out tribe is large enough to keep us safe.
Roy, that’s a very interesting topic. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I grew up in an environment where safety was not a thought. My parents did not teach me and my siblings that there were things in life that we should fear. And again, fortunately, there were no incidents that created unsafe conditions. As I have grown, and experienced more of life, I realize that today’s world does not tolerate the way I was raised. I was literally dropped off at school on the first day of 1st grade without any concerns for my safety. That would not happen today! As you discussed “balance” in last week’s writing, there must be a healthy balance between living with our heads in the sand, fearless, or living in constant fear. I feel for parents today as they struggle to discover that balance. And I feel for us, the older more vulnerable class in society, who have to watch out for the next scam coming across social media. Thanks for keeping us attuned to the changing world in which we live.
Thanks, Roy. A wonderful reminder.
Safety as a child did not enter my mind much. Although, I now realize there seems to be much more to be aware of in a world that seems to have changed in regards to safety. As a child, all the neighbors knew each other . We kids were surrounded in a neighborhood where everyone seemed to watch out for one another. We were in and out of front yards, back yards, allies, and constantly biking and roller skating. I did have a German Shepherd who maintained a safety net around me. No cookies would be wrestled from my hands with my fury companion beside me. One of my “running partners” and I would even walk exploring every nook and craney from our neighborhood into downtown. My partner even got his mug photographed by the newspaper with a fox that had been prowling the streets of downtown Fort Worth. We probably did take too many chances. And we did get scolded by our caring parents for our escapades. We perhaps took advantage of our “Guardian Angel”.