On a Wing and a Prayer

My baby daughter is on the road this weekend.


Yes, I know she's 25 but she's still MY baby, and the only little girl I have. They're driving right into that storm, determined to bring her big brother home.


I don't think a hurricane would have kept her from going.
It's amazing how the young think they are invincible. Nothing can hurt them. They rush headlong into places where angels would fear to tread. Sometimes this can be fatal. Such as the case with the young girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama. You know the one that's been missing in Aruba since Sunday. I know this child's parents must have cautioned her dozens of times about being careful. We tell them over and over, " Don't talk to strangers". Clearly a warning she didn't take seriously. Now, not only has she paid the ultimate price, but her family and friends will pay as well. Every Mother (and Father) knows we have to let them go at some point. We have to believe we've done all we can do, and have faith that they were listing and learning. Then we see a young woman who was raised by loving parents, in a good neighborhood, went to good schools. She and her family were active in their family church. She had a bright future ahead of her. All lost in the few moments it took her to make one wrong decision. How my heart aches for her parents.
In fact I can't help but feel some sense of sorrow for the young men caught up in this tragedy. I'm sure they never meant to harm her. I feel it was probably a series of unfortunate events (no pun intended) that lead to an ending none of them could have or would have predicted. I can well imagine what their parents must be feeling as well. I want to believe there is no evil here, just kids who let things get out of control. Now, so many lives are forever altered.

If there is anyone that I see as being responsible it's the people who were suppose to be chaperoning this group of teenagers while they were in Aruba. What on earth were they thinking letting those young girls go out drinking in the local bars? What kind of chaperone is that? The parents of all those young people placed their faith and trust in the adults who accompanied them. They bear some of the responsibity for this tragedy.

I pray my own little/big girl will heed my cautions. I pray they will drive safely and be careful who they talk to. And I pray that she will be successful in her quest.