Yesterday, I witnessed an accident that reminded me life is short. Today, I'm thinking about a different kind of protecting—the emotional kind we cannot fully do. When my toddler experienced her first tiny rejection in a furniture store play area, I wanted to shield her from every future heartbreak. But minutes later, she was laughing again. Maybe our job isn't to stop life from hurting our kids. Maybe it's to be there when it does—reminding them they're still lovable, worthy