Moments that shape us.

***POSSIBLE TRIGGER*** Infant death.

This is just a random moment I remember and it made me curious about what moments you remember that had an impact on you.

Tell me in the comments about a moment that you released in retrospect shaped you in some way.

Mine... When I was really young, my grandparents maintained the cemetery in my hometown. I spent a lot of time in that cemetery dusting grass off of all of the headstones and cleaning off and sometimes watering flower arrangements to keep them nice for as long as possible. I helped put flags out on military graves for memorial day and 4th of July. This experience, of course, taught me a great respect for the dead, but more importantly for the living families of the dead. I witnessed an incredible amount of human emotion in that cemetery. I saw people yell at headstones, stand stoicly just staring in silence, and cry. The particular moment I remember though was the day a woman was brought to the grave of an infant in chains; escorted in by the police. I didn't know her story at the time, but I did watch her. They walked her to the headstone and the cops took a couple steps back. She just stared for a bit, maybe reading the headstone? Then she collapsed and clung to the headstone with the most Earth shattering cry of despair I have ever heard in my life. I have still never personally witnessed a more desperately sad moment. I was 9. That was the first moment I realized how deeply parents really feel for their children, even when they sometimes don't appear to. Of course, I didn't consciously recognize that at the time, I was mostly just frozen and completely unsure about how to react. I still clean that tombstone when I visit the cemetery.

For those wondering, the baby had been murdered by the woman's boyfriend and she was charged with neglect because it was believed she knew the abuse was happening. I have no clue what happened beyond that.

Anyway, 21 years ago that happened and for some reason I thought of it today.

Do you have a moment that shaped you?