I Always Want to Keep My Loved Ones Safe

Recently, our daughter, Alexus, came home for a weekend visit. It was wonderful, and the weather was perfect. We ate delicious food and had one big ball of fun.

We are lucky to live in an area with many things to do. The weather has been so gray lately, but the sun was out, and it seemed as though everyone in town wanted to enjoy the warmth. We spent the first day walking around downtown and crossed the street several times.

Every time we did so, I thought about the dangers of taking a stroll. Think about it. One wrong step and a car could hit you. One aggressive dog and you could be headed to the emergency room. One wrong look and a stranger could start a fight.

None of those things happened. We had a wonderful day. But I couldn’t help thinking: What if something went wrong? Such thoughts periodically cross my mind because I want to make sure my loved ones are safe.

The next day, Alexus planned an outing for us. But it wasn’t our typical family activity. We went ax throwing. Yes, you read that right. Ax throwing — throwing sharp things at pieces of wood — is an up-and-coming form of entertainment.

Doesn’t seem dangerous at all, right?

After we arrived, we received a 30-second “safety” lesson on throwing razor-sharp instruments at the wooden circle several yards away. What could go wrong? My wife and I commented that our deceased, safety-conscious fathers would have made us leave before the lesson was over, but for some reason, we ignored what was probably our better judgment. I’m sure our fathers are still rolling in their graves. Nevertheless, we had fun and managed to leave with the same body parts with which we arrived.

Jill celebrating her ax throwing abilities. (Photo by Alexus Jones)

When it was time to take Alexus to the airport, I realized that nothing bad had occurred during the weekend. Everyone was safe. But I also knew that I couldn’t have prevented something bad from happening anyway.

As a caregiver, I want to keep my daughter, my wife, and my dog safe from the big, bad world. But that is impossible. Whether it’s ax throwing or Huntington’s disease (which my wife and daughter both have), I have to deal with whatever comes our way.

I have to remember to enjoy life because it is precious.

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