Remember the children!
Authored by Chisago County District Court Judge John McBride Submitted by Wright County District Court Judge Steve Halsey
When I left for work this morning the sun was just beginning to rise in a perfectly clear sky that was midway between night and day; almost blue -- almost purple, almost gray and almost light. As I turned to head west, there stood the moon just off the western horizon ñ clear and bright - enlarged as it only is when itís just above the horizon. I curved slightly to the right and the moon slipped behind the trees that lined both sides of the road. The colors were just starting to glow in the dim sunlight that was rising. Orange, mixed with reds and gold, formed a tunnel around me that grew brighter as I once again turned to the west and the moon reemerged. It felt as though I was driving through a rainbow. It truly was a perfect morning -- one of those mornings that compel you to reflect on life and acknowledge that it is a gift beyond imagination.
This morning I felt extraordinarily blessed and privileged to be alive. But then I remembered where I was headed. I was going to the courthouse where I would be sitting as the Judge in Juvenile Court seeing one child after another who is incapable of seeing life as a gift. Children like 16-year-old Krista (not her real name) who was in my courtroom recently.
When I encountered 16-year-old Krista I asked her why she was alone, since as a juvenile her parents were required to come to court with her. Her mother, who had birthed nine children by more men then she could identify, had just the week before packed her bags and moved somewhere up north. Of the nine, she only took a two-year old and a four-year old with her. The rest were left to fend for themselves. Most of her siblings had fathers that took them in. But Krista had no idea who her father was, so she moved in with her boyfriend's parents. However, she knew she could not stay there much longer and was not sure where she was going next. Then this tiny child stood up and I realized she was pregnant. When I asked her what her plans for her child were she explained that the baby was planned, it is what she wanted, someone that would love her back. And I asked myself, how do I respond? Or better yet, how do we as a community respond?
When I became a Judge I reflected for quite some time on what would be my guiding principle.
There is one thing a Judge discovers very quickly; a courtroom is where human brokenness abounds -- the brokenness of the offender whose life has led to crime -- the brokenness of the victim seeking restoration from harm -- the brokenness of families ripped apart by conflict and violence -- and the brokenness of a community searching for solutions. When I became a Judge I made a promise to my community and myself that I, too, would never join forces with brokenness.
October 17-19 was the National Observance of Children's Sabbaths, Sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund. Children's Sabbaths provides the opportunity for communities to renew and live out their moral responsibility to care, protect, and advocate for all children. At this time, when we are called to focus on the children of our community, each of us must ask ourselves, how we are going to respond to the brokenness found in children today. Justice cannot be done and healing cannot begin until we open our eyes to the brokenness around us -- until we seek to comprehend the brokenness and refuse to join forces with it.
During this period of observance of Children's Sabbaths, I pray that you will find a way to open your eyes and heart to the suffering that is seen in our children today -- that you seek to comprehend where there is brokenness in our children and how you are going respond. If you do perhaps one more child will see the beauty of a morning and the wonder found in the gift of life.
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