My Worst Nightmare

Another of the Edge's acquaintances has lost his life.


http://www.pnj.com/article/20090908/NEWS01/909080314&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL


This time the young man was spending the night with a friend, as my kids have done many times. According to his father, who posted in the comments following the story, TC attended a party without permission and was killed on the way back to his friend's house. He was riding in a car with a young adult his father did not know.

This family is living my worst nightmare.


Some of the other commenters have asked the question, "What was a 15 year old doing out so late?" The father cleared that up, too, with a familiar scenario: he had no idea that his son was even out.


A couple of my kids have been caught sneaking out at night when they were supposed to be sleeping in their beds. Black Jack (21) enjoys sharing stories of his exploits now that he thinks he's beyond suffering a good beating. Short of chaining them to my leg, there is only so much that a parent can do when young person gets it into their heads that they are going to break the rules.


Of course, they probably don't see it as breaking the rules - the teens I know usually justify their behavior with "My parents are too strict, they don't let me do anything!" "They just don't understand." "I can take care of myself!" It doesn't matter how many times you attempt to cover the "what ifs. . ." although stories like this one help to drive the point home.


There are no words I could offer to this family to convey the depth of my sympathy for them.


I'll continue to discuss this story with my own children. . .and hug them a little tighter. . .and just keep praying. . .