The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Daniel has a trusty gray, plastic sword and shield - all very medieval looking in its design - which he carries around with him. Sunday, he took his self-defense kit to church with him. Luckily, he left them in the car during church itself, but afterwards, when I was looking for him outside and I wasn't sure whether a sprightly lad on the periphery was him or someone else, I was quickly reassured by the bold gray shield in his hand, which told me that the energetic stick-figure in the distance could only be young Daniel.

But in the car a couple of days ago, Ian was lecturing Daniel on the purely defensive purpose of a shield. Somehow, I suspect he had some reason for wanting to make this point:

"So Daniel, a shield is supposed to protect you - not hurt someone."

(December 6, 2011)