"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Friday 24 April 2015

VIRTUE OR VICE ?

Around the camp fire young ones were moving from one lap to another. Sticks were selected and marshmallows toasted. Some were thrown into the fire to flare. 
I didn't provide the marshmallows. It wasn't my place to comment.
Life experience helps to shape one's values.
Even if just a treat, for me it goes against the grain to throw marshmallows into the fire to watch them burn. 
A candle burning in a lantern on the picnic table caught  Reid's attention.He leaned his arms on the  table watching the flame. 
Several watched the four year old watching the flame, hands folded sensibly at a distance.  
Then, without warning he raised a  finger and touched the glass. The wail that rose in the dark likely struck fear in the hearts of all who heard.
Ice and various emollients were marshaled to soothe the pain. It took a bandaid for the event to become more interesting than painful. 
If only Reid could have learned without hurting himself. 
A facebook post this morning referred to a "brutally honest" obituary for a twenty four year old. She died from a heroin overdose. 
The senseless reality of the death was simply and sorrowfully stated. I found nothing "brutal".
Teen years are hazardous. Survival is not certain.
For some it's easy .For many it's not. 
In large part, the idea that honesty is brutal may be the problem.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"It wasn't my place to comment."

That doesn't sound like you.

KA-NON said...

@16:49, not sure why it is so hard to understand Evelyn. In this context (family) that comment is entirely consistent with our Ev. Geez.

A friend said...

I love your post.We need to be aware and learning quickly that out town has so many in pain.Self medicating to disaster, suicide, and mental health stigma is a communities concern.Families need to start talking again.We could use a big dose of empathy everywhere.