Many years ago, when my now 30-year-old son was two or three years old, he was playing in the yard while I was working. Then I looked up and I couldn’t see him. I checked around the corner of the house. Nothing.
I went inside and checked all rooms. Nothing.
I ran outside, now serious adrenaline had kicked in. I raced around the entire house. Nothing.
I started yelling for him. Nothing.
I ran 50 yards down the street. Nothing.
Complete and utter panic.
I ran back to the house, grabbed my bicycle. I figured that every second counted now. I rode further down the street calling for him. Nothing.
I figured I had gone further than he could have wandered off and returned home. Ran all around the yard again, calling for him. Nothing.
Then, suddenly, he ambled out from behind the acacia bushes along the fence, and I just about melted. I don’t know how long the entire episode was. Three or four minutes?
Three of four minutes of utter panic, because I had lost my child.
I’ll never forget the agony I went through.
This is so powerful.
Whilst living in rural Australia….many years back now….I also experienced an almost identical incident, involving one of my daughters.
Neighbors were scouring dams (small water reserves common on farms….don’t know what they’re called in U.S.)….police came from 45 kms. (30 miles-?) away.
JUST as they arrived, a neighbor located a pretty upset little girl….who had wandered off…& fallen asleep–!! THE RELIEF–!!
As you say, that kind of parental trauma leaves a never-to-be-forgotten impression–!!!
That a (so-called) leader-&//or a government would willfully inflict such pain on parents….much less CHILDREN….is almost beyond belief–!!! Such creatures are almost beneath contempt….almost–!!
Regards Norbert….Ray.
Thanks, Ray. I couldn’t agree more.