Mistakes

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If you have a young person in your life, I'd like to share this with them. This past Thursday, I watched over 500 young people file into a church sanctuary. Their faces were frozen with grief. Some were crying uncontrollably. Others were simply staring straight ahead, responding with a small nod or a soft word when they were spoken to. Arms around each other, heads on shoulders, hands clenched tightyly in fists. They were saying goodbye to a friend whose life had been tragically, and quickly snuffed out. All because of one lapse in judgement and the choices that followed. She was 15 years old. Her name was Tasha. She was an honor student, and a gymnast. She was a cheerleader at her high school, and she competed with a local cheer squad, winning on the National level. She had a brother who said "she was the best sister a guy could have, but boy could we fight! But she always said I'm sorry...first. And I knew she loved me." She had friends at school, friends at cheerleading, friends at church, friends at gymnastics class, everyone who came in contact with this young lady, was instantly blown away by her genuine honesty and love for life. Last Sunday morning about 1 a.m. Tasha's love for life came to a screeching halt. Her mom had to go out of town on business. Her grandmother came to the house to stay. Tasha took her mom's car, just after midnight and picked up two friends. An hour later, as a 15 year old boy drove, they hit the Mote Street Hill. This particular hill has a dip at the bottom, and immediately goes back up into another hill. It's dangerous, and so many people have wrecked there over the last 50 years. There are signs that warn of the impending danger. When you go too fast, it's like a skateboard ramp when you get to the other side. The police estimate they were going somewhere between 80-100 miles an hour. The car went airborne and landed against a tree on the passenger side, where Tasha was sitting. She didn't die instantly. When neighbors who were just getting home from a graduation in another state got to the car, she was still alive, and screaming. They called 911 but knew that she wasn't going to make it because of the severity of injuries. No drugs, no alcohol...just a joyride in Mom's car. Just having fun, because they were teenagers...and immortal. Only Tasha wasn't immortal that night. As an educator, I see it all the time. The chances the kids take. Playing chicken, going too fast, passing the car in front when there's really not room to get around before the car coming towards you gets there. And the latest...air surfing. For those parents who don't know what that is. It's the passenger opening the door and standing on the running boards or the seat. holding onto the door and hanging their bodies out to "Surf". I was floored when I found out my 19 year old son had done that going down the road, while his friend was doing 30 mph. I praise God he didn't fall out. Other teachers tell me that the kids do it all the time now. They don't think anything can happen to them, because they're young...and immortal.