Another Young Life Needlessly Lost

Although I am on vacation and generally having a wonderful time, I need to get the sadness in my heart out on paper. You see, my daughter told us today that another one of her friends died yesterday. I believe that makes 5 friends that my daughter has lost in the last 4 years. All of these friends have been 21 and younger. My daughter is only 20 herself. That is so much loss to have experienced at such a young age.

The girl who died yesterday had stayed overnight on more than one occasion at my house. We had picked her up from her home and had driven her home. My daughter met her about 3-4 years ago and for a while spent all of her time with this girl. She was 18 years old when she died yesterday.

I remember her making coffee one morning several years ago in my kitchen. Most kids that come over to stay do not make coffee for themselves but this girl acted more mature than many of the teenagers who rambled through our house. She was also a very beautiful girl --slender with shiny long brown hair and clear skin. Her parents were divorced and there were other issues of burden in her life that really are too much for a teenager to have to bear. But she did--until yesterday.

I am at a loss to explain why these children lose their way and ultimately their lives. I am grateful that my own children are still here but I cannot help feeling helpless and hopeless about the ones that are gone. The ones that you cannot reach and who take one too many chances on their road to what they think is self salvation. The ones who you know could have made a difference, only if . . .

RIP Kalin.

ADDENDUM: The picture above was taken from Kalin's MySpace profile page which eerily states as her status "Yes, I am alive."