Kids in puddle gave her peace of mind

It was a simple picture.
Granddaughter Emma was standing in a rather large puddle. Her brothers, Jacob and Nicholas, were sitting in the same body of muddy water. All three were wearing boots. Nicholas was clad in a superhero costume complete with fake muscles. An unknown child holding a bucket was in the background standing beside a wagon full of water. Ordinary children playing in ordinary water. Nothing unusual, just another day.
What that simple picture told me was that my grandchildren and their parents were safe. The puddle was far enough away from the house that I didn’t have to worry about flood damage. It was shallow and the water was still.
I had called my daughter, Beth, earlier in the week to ask if they had been affected by the recent flooding in Texas. She said they were keeping a close eye on the creek down the road. She also said it had taken her almost three hours to get home from work a day or two before. She had passed many abandoned cars on the highway and could look inside them to see how high the water had gotten. So far, she and her family were safe but more rain was expected.
It wasn’t until I saw the picture of the children that I was truly relieved. As long as the puddles have edges and are shallow enough for superheros to sit in, they are safe.
I did check with Beth to ask if she had acquired an extra child since we last saw them. She assured me they hadn’t. It was a neighbor’s son. She has a tendency to collect strays and I wasn’t certain that she hadn’t added another kid to her family without telling me.
I am so thankful that Beth allows her children, and any others who happen to be around, to play in the mud. They are allowed to get dirty, catch frogs, climb trees and more importantly, entertain themselves. I am glad they live in an area where it is safe for them to do so.
The weather forecasters are still spouting doom and gloom as more rain is forecast for already sodden areas. Rivers have yet to crest. There will be more property damaged before the spate of flooding subsides. More lives will be put in peril. I will continue to worry about family I cannot keep safe and weather nobody can control.
There are other photos. Cars submerged on a flooded road. People canoeing down a street. Happy pictures of an extended family eating ice cream. A beaming toddler enjoying the collection of dollies she received when an aunt cleaned out a storage shed. There are more pictures of children playing in the mud. These pictures show me the realities of life, both good and not so good.
I try to remember the happy portrayals when I see the forecasts of more flooding. I try to be thankful that we didn’t schedule a visit and get caught in the midst of the mess. I remind myself that Beth would never put anyone in harm’s way although Mother Nature might.
Thank goodness I live in a time when I can see for myself that my grandchildren are safely playing in the mud and not floating down some flooded street.
They say pictures are worth a thousand words. To me, they are worth far more than that. Pictures are worth peace of mind and that is priceless.