so sad

Dearest Plum,

As we approach your second birthday, I have been preparing for your party. I went this week to the walmart to get supplies for your cake. As I was in the cake decorating aisle trying to pick out a sheet pan, a woman startled me by speaking to a toddler with such harsh "not nice" words in such an angry way that I stood there looking blankly at the pans for several minutes. I could not decide if I should hug her, pray for her, or beg her to stop yelling at him. I hope and pray that this was not his mother, but I suspect that it was. It broke my heart and made my stomach turn. His lack of reaction tells me that this was not the first time that someone has treated him this way.

In thirty-one years, my mother has never spoken such hurtful words to me or ever used that tone with me.

I know that I will fail you in many ways on many days. May God have mercy on my soul if I ever make you feel like you are anything but my life's greatest responsibility and a precious child of God.

You are truly the light of our lives and joy of our hearts.

Love, your mother