Ocean of Trust

My 23-month old granddaughter has been sick for the past several days. It breaks my heart to hear her tiny voice whimpering instead of her usual robust chatter on the phone. I want so much to be able to fly off to London to help out and to hold her and my daughter in my arms, to offer comfort, love and assistance. At these times, the distance between us seems immense. I am so very grateful that my son-in-law's parents are so wonderful and willing to help out when needed. It eases my mind enormously to know they are just a phone call and a short drive away for the most part. I can't imagine raising children without family nearby. I realize how incredibly lucky I was when my own children were small to have my grandmother, parents, two siblings, and an array of in-laws just minutes away in our small town and an army of additional family members and friends just a phone call away if needed. A child can't have too many relatives and friends who love them. I firmly believe in the village concept of raising children (as long as they're not the village idiots). When a child has many people looking after their well-being they have a reasonable chance of growing up to be happy, productive adults. As the saying goes, "More the Merrier". So I send our love across the vast ocean and put my trust in my daughter's in-laws and friends to be there for her in our absence. Thank you, thank you, thank you.