From the incredibly targeted violence of exploding pagers to wide reaching oppressive policies under dictators, volatile financial markets and shady campaign promises of brighter futures, I find myself going to bed often thinking about what the future holds for my family and my young children.

Worrying. Strategizing.

Earlier this week after getting my toddler boy snuggled, kissed, and dressed for the day, we headed down the hall together- quiet to let his older sisters sleep a bit longer. At the top of the stairs, my little guy asked to be picked up. For context, I have a modest collection of rubber duckies displayed on the wall in our staircase. These range from princess ducks to lumberjack ducks, cupcake ducks to duck ducks (my favorite!). Among the flock are a series of knight and pirate ducks all with swords or armor. As we started down the stairs, my brave boy wrapped his little arms around me and looked me straight in the face with a solemn, sincere stare. He said, “Mommy, I keep you safe. I fight those bad ducks for you.”

In a world full of chaos and uncertainty, I found myself taking incredible comfort in the fact that no matter what happens in the world at large or even in our little corner, I have a son who loves his mommy and is willing to fight (those mean rubber duckies) to keep her safe. Knowing that I can never fully control our circumstances anyway, no amount of perceived security could trump the joy of knowing this kind of love.