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As a parent, watching your child go through surgery is one of those experiences that grips your heart in a way you never imagined. It’s the sort of thing you think about, sure, but you never really think it’ll happen until you’re there, sitting in that too-bright hospital waiting room.

And then suddenly, it’s real. It’s happening. And all you can do is watch.

I found myself in there recently. Feeling all the usual emotions—fear, worry, helplessness. But as my son was prepped for surgery, I saw something that changed how I was feeling completely: I saw his strength.

Now, I know, parents are meant to think their kids are brave. But this was something different. As I looked at him, with his hospital gown draped over him and his 13-year-old hands still holding “monkey”, there was something about his calmness, his quiet braveness and resilience.

No fear, no hesitation, just this calm, unshakable strength.

I half expected him to look up at me and whisper, “I’m Batman.” And in that moment, I really believed he might be.

You see, Batman isn’t strong because he has fancy gadgets or a cool car. He’s strong because he faces challenges head-on. He fights the fear, the unknown, and everything in between—and comes out stronger on the other side. That’s what I saw in my son. A boy who, despite having a chronic disease and facing the unknown, was stronger than I could have ever imagined.

When your child starts channelling their inner superhero, it gives you a little perspective. In that moment, I had to remind myself of something bigger, something beyond the hospital walls and the nervous energy swirling around us. I had to have faith that this was part of a greater plan, even if I couldn’t see it.

There’s a certain peace that comes with letting go and trusting in something bigger than us. I realised that my son wasn’t just showing his strength; he was helping me find mine, too.

His resilience reminded me that faith doesn’t mean the absence of fear—it means trusting there’s a purpose behind it all, even if it’s not immediately clear.

Finding your own faith when facing the unknown is about trusting that, even when things feel uncertain, there's something bigger guiding you. It’s leaning on the idea that things will unfold as they’re meant to. Sometimes, it’s just about letting go and trusting that your faith will carry you through, one step at a time.

As I watched him get wheeled off, I smiled. Yes, I was still scared, but I knew he had strength beyond what I could comprehend. And I knew that, like Batman, he would face this battle and come out the other side, stronger than ever.

So, here’s to the little Batmen in all our lives—the children who show us what true strength looks like, even when they’re the ones going through the tough stuff.

 And here’s to having faith that there’s always a bigger purpose, even when we can’t see it.

After all, even Batman needed a little faith sometimes.