Magen Corrie.
Congratulations, Magen!
That was so much fun that I may have to do more Giveaways!
On to a heavier note...
A couple weeks ago, tragedy hit our little rural North Carolina town. A twelve-year-old boy from my son's school took his own life. As the shock wears off and the questions roll in, I think every parent is asking themselves, "How could this happen?" And "What can I do to prevent this from happening to one of my children?"
When I first learned of the tragic news, I just wanted to hold my boys close and never let go. I wanted to tell them a million and one times how much I loved them. In those first few days after the death of this sweet boy, I couldn't hug my children enough. And tears flowed freely whether I wanted them to or not.
I think it hit me hard because the young boy was so close to my own son's age, and the family lives right down the street in an affluent neighborhood. This is a family who only wanted the best for their children. A family who seemed to have it all. And all of a sudden I wondered, "How well do I know my own son? Has he ever felt that lonely, overwhelmed? What kind of pressure am I putting on my own children?" My heart ached not only for the family and friends this child left behind, but also for the pain this boy must have felt. Enough pain that he decided to take his life because of it. Obviously none of us know all the details leading up to his decision to take his life, but what a tragic, tragic accident.
This tragedy occurred at a time when I was writing a story about a troubled boy. And even though I will never be able to capture that kind of pain, I did try to draw on the sorrow I felt in the aftermath of such a tragedy. I only hope I did the story justice.
So, hug your children tight and never forget to tell them how much you love them. And even more importantly, how proud you are of all they've accomplished. You never know, that might be the one thing they need to hear more than anything else in this world. And please, say a prayer for this family as they try to pick up the pieces of their life.
