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"Ain't no tellin' where the wind might blow, Free and easy down the road I go..." If only life could really be lived like that! Yeah and with easy-on-the-eyes Dierks Bentley singing alongside you as you're "living life like a Sunday stroll." Life's not easy though. I have to remind myself to thank God profusely for the smooth spots because the rough stuff is often not that far behind me or just looming around the next corner.
A friend wrote this in his blog, "If only we had the courage to be who we really wanted to be , to love the person we wanted to love and live the life we were meant to live!" and I replied that sometimes it takes more fortitude to live the lives we are committed to live. Later I thought about my answer - and in some cases it fits, some it does not. Sometimes fear of change holds us back from making changes that need making. Then again, sometimes honor and integrity require us to stay put and to face commitment with resolve. Fortitude is "mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously." Given that life isn't free and easy, I think we all need a hearty dose - either to move on OR to stay put.
My dear friend amazed me with her courage this past year. She had had the fortitude to stay in a very unhappy, unhealthy situation for the sake of her children for 20+ years. It took strength and commitment to do that. However, when she realized that the situation was more harmful and that staying was stagnation, she found valor deep within to pluck herself up out of the ashes of lost hopes and move forward. She did find the courage to love who she wanted to love and to be who she really wanted to be. For her it *was* the right thing to do. To stay in the circumstances she rose up out of would have been to live a life of despair. The world is just opening up for her and the adventure of a new life has just begun. She knows it isn't free and easy, but she's going down the road anyway...this time as a true partner and help-meet.
~o~
Before I get into something really serious, let me get the workout out of the way. One hour of cardio at the gym and plans for yoga later. My body is craving yoga like Paris Hilton craves the camera.
~o~
Okay, time for serious. Time for scary. Time for another reason to enjoy those "free and easy" periods of life. You never know when the carpet will be pulled from under your feet, sending your world flying in every direction and crashing all around you. I received this email from my friend, Dianna. This is not a stupid forward. This is real and expresses a horror that just occurred within her community, touching her very family with its pain. I will let her words speak for themselves.:
Hello,
I am writing today to request help from all of you. My son, Tyler, lost a good friend of his this past Thursday. This boys death could have been prevented. I need your help to make sure we stop this from happening to other kids.
Connor was 12 years old. He was a very bright child. He was in the gifted class at his school, played football, was very interested in the civil war and even did reenactments. He had a smile that could light up a room. He went to church with his family faithfully. He was a great friend and a great big brother!! He was ball boy for our varsity team and ran up and down those sidelines every Friday night!
Now the sad part:
You may or may not have heard about a "game" that kids are playing and apparently have been playing for many years, it's called the choking game, pass out game, flatliner, etc. This is a game that kids play in groups or alone. They will choke each other until they pass out. It supposedly gives them some kind of high. There are lots of videos on youtube of kids doing this and just laughing away!!!
When they do it alone they usually do it by tying something around their necks to restrict the air flow. This is what Tyler's friend did!! He tied his belt around his neck and around his bedpost. He apparently passed out before he could release the belt and therefore he died within a couple of minutes. His poor parents found him Thursday morning when they went to get him up for school.
I'm asking you to do a couple of things in memory of Connor. First of all, talk to your kids, your grandkids, nieces and nephews, any children you are involved with. Tell them what the consequences of this are. Death, permanent brain damage, or even jail time if they are there playing this "game" in a group and someone gets hurt or dies!!
Don't think that your kids would never do this!! If you read up on the subject most of the kids that die playing this are not the type to do drugs or alcohol. They don't want to do things that might harm them or that their families have told them are wrong!! These are kids that are "good" kids. Kids that are usually into sports, have good grades, lots of friends and the kids no one would ever expect to get involved in something so dangerous. They think this is something that won't hurt them!!
Second, I am asking you to consider signing an online petition to make this "game" and its risks part of the DARE program. Kids need to be taught that this is just as dangerous as drugs and alcohol!! Even after this tragedy the schools here refuse to let teachers talk about this. We can hand out condoms and try to make sure they don't have babies but we can't give them the facts on a "game" that can kill them?
Here is a link to one of the sites I found that will give you more information about this "game". www.deadlygameschildrenplay.com
I have found instances of children as young as 6 and as old as 25 dying while doing this!!
Third, please pass this on!!
I have hardly slept at all since this happened. I awaken at every little noise to check on my kids!! I am so thankful to have them!! Anyway, this was one way I could think of to maybe make a difference! If you decide to help with this I will greatly appreciate it!
