Lost

Last week I was at discovery time at the library. I had just met a new mom and we were chatting when I noticed my daughter wasn't in the room. I excused myself and peeked out the doors because she had gotten just outside the doors before.

I didn't see her in a quick glance, so I scoured the room again, but didn't see any dark blue shirts, so I walked farther out of the room and looked down a couple rows of books, then looked towards the door that was twenty feet away, nothing.

I looked back into the room, every corner, under tables, no dark blue shirt. I ran out of the room with the other mom following asking me where my daughter was.

I couldn't answer because I felt such panic welling up inside me. I was tearing up, and if I'd tried to talk to her through my sobs, it would have been precious time spent in not finding my daughter.

Every child abduction story I'd heard flashed through my head. I hurried across the library to the children's section, it looked deserted. Finally I saw her in the back corner playing contentedly with the Legos.

I was so relieved to see her there. I scooped her up and a couple tears still leaked out. I knew the other moms were looking for her, but I took a moment to try and compose myself before I went back out. It takes a little while for such intense emotions to fade.

I know almost every parent will lose their child in a public place at sometime or another, but when it happened to me, it was the scariest thing to think that I had lost one of the most precious things I have. It helped me better understand the parents who put their children on leashes.

Hopefully she never gets lost again, but if she does, at least I'll have some experience under my belt already and be more prepared for the overwhelming emotions.