My four-year-old daughter, Emma, stood completely still for a moment—then suddenly rushed toward the pastor, shouting something that brought the entire room into stunned silence.

She was four years old and wore a navy blue coat, white socks, and a crooked headband that I had put on her myself while she cried all morning.

She didn’t speak when her grandmother insulted me.

He didn’t scream when he hit me.

She just stood there motionless with those enormous eyes, absorbing too much for such a small girl.

And then he ran.