Racing the Mousetrap Car of Fear

Earlier today we received an automated call from the Superintendent of our children’s public school district with the following message:

This morning the OCPS staff discovered a threatening email similar to those received in other large districts, including LA, NY, Miami, Houston and Broward, where they were deemed to be less than credible. We have established communications with law enforcement agencies and are following appropriate protocol. We wanted to share this information with you and will keep you informed. A regular school day is expected today and tomorrow. Principals have been asked to stay alert and keep students calm and focused on instruction.

Just what a parent wants to hear. 

I am not kidding. I mean it. 

Really.

Keep Calm.  Stay focused on instruction.

Keep Calm and Study On.

After all, it’s just a bomb threat.

Of course, inside this mother's heart there is a little panic button going off, demanding immediate action. It's soooo easy to freak out. To be hijacked by terror. Especially for parents. Including those who are celebrating the birth of their Savior during this season. It would be so easy to race to the school, wheels of composure and joy and peace falling off, and instigate and/or fuel even more disruption. Ricochet off each other's frantic-parent fear. Perhaps even sow some animosity and hatred.

But, I am so tired of panic.  I am just plain old exhausted from all the endless potential threats and fears they fuel and the life-sucking effect they have on all of us.  I am not going to let yet another day be ruined by it's false alarm. 

And what if it's nor false? 

Well, in that case, I'll need all the presence of mind and composure I could muster to deal with a real emergency that I can't afford to waste the precious emotional and physical resources on the cowards hiding behind the Internet anonymity for their fear-mongering tactics.

.

And this afternoon when I pick up my kids from school, the first question out of my mouth is going to be,

How did the mousetrap car race go? Did the wheels stay on, or did they fall off?

But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11