Reality Shock: It's Better to Have an Angry Kid, than a Dead Kid.--by Emi

I had been watching a "7th Heaven" marathon, one about how Mary started getting into real trouble. The whole family had to sit there as Mary lied about being fired, was missing payments on her care, insurence, and on a credit card bill. She was drinking beer, was found with pot, and stole money from her little brothers' piggy banks.

When they finally got to the conclusion, knowing what they were going to do about Mary, I was almost in shock. They decided to send her away to Buffalo to live with her grandparents where she would be watched, go volunteer her time, and take classes to help her.

When they got to the airport, Eric, her father, stood up while the mom tried talking to Mary. Mary didn't even say goodbye to her siblings, saying she never wanted to see them again. She blamed her dad for everything, and you could see the toll it was taking on Eric. Mary wouldn't even hug him.

As she got onto the plane, Eric and Annie, the mom, completely broke down. But Eric was worse. Annie had asked him ahead of time to repeat their reasons for doing what they were doing, but when the time came, she had to repeat them to him. I sat there, crying myself, as Eric and Annie sobbed, Eric barely able to speak.

Annie was trying to put in words of wisdom, trying to calm him. And one thing she said stuck in my mind: "You know this is the right thing to do! It's better to have an angry child, than to have a dead one!"

It's a bit true when you think about it. My parents used that idea on me a lot, and while I know it hurt them so much, they saved my life by it. It really is a true statement. I have always thought this when I got friends mad at me for doing what I had to do, for telling on them when I knew it could save them. They always ask me why I do it, and I always tell them that I'd prefer them to be mad at me for the rest of their life, as long as they stay alive.

If you talk to people who didn't live with this idea, you always see some regret. Of course, I've had regret for losing people over trying to help, but I think I'd have even more regret if they were to die, and I realized what I could have done to help.

But it is true. It is better to have them mad, than to have them dead.

Reach out and save, no matter how much hatred they feel for you at the time. Thats what Katie (Corky) did for me, and now I couldn't thank her enough for saving my life.

* Emi *

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