"Which helmet do you think offers the best protection? Which is most fashionable?" Hands sprung up to cast preferences about 16th century steelwear. She explained about the limited vision afforded by eye slits, and the flexibility provided by clanking joints. 

 

"A suit could include as many as 200 pieces. The knight could not dress without the help of a squire." She drew our attention to the embossed and etched embellishments, bright with gold filling. There was a small suit, perfect in its construction. 

 

"This would have been for a young prince, about 6 or 7. His father could afford to have it made even though it would only fit for a short time." All of our imaginations filled in the scene of a little boy fighting imaginary dragons. 

 

Another adult asked when the standard shifted from mostly mail to plate.

 

"It would be more interesting to tell you why. Can anyone guess what weapons mail won't protect you from?"

 

"Arrows? Cross bows?" The kids had been listening during the past few weeks of medieval history. 

 

"Right! They needed better protection so plate armor was developed. How about guns? Could they stop a bullet?"

 

I pondered the attacks on marriage that have marched through time. What kind of mail do we don as a society to ward off blows? There is software to block the invasion of pornography. Some still makes it through the cracks as I have been shocked to witness when I was on a search for kinder sites. My spam folder is littered with unsavory mail, and some hero I will never meet updates the mesh of that filter. 

 

One of the most egregious flaws that makes us vulnerable is the illusion that there is no enemy to outwit. 

 

Yesterday a friend sent me an article about a couple who were passionate about church planting. They invested their lives to building a congregation. But somewhere along the way the husband got passionate about a member of his staff instead. I think he forgot to put on his armor. 

 

Photo by Kat Gatti

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