You've Got to Be Kidding!

A child quizzed her mother as to her own origin and was given the traditional answer: "God sent you."

"And how did you get here, Mommy? Did God send you too?" asked the child.

"Yes, dear" said the mother.

"And Grandma?"

"Yes, dear."

"And Great-Grandmother too?"

"Yes, dear" said the mother patiently.

"Do you mean to say, that there's been no sex in this family for over 200 years!?!" exclaimed the surprised child.

Our community spent the last three days worried about a missing woman. Pretty and a young 48 years-old, this mother never picked up her daughter last Sunday evening, and so the authorities were alerted. TV spots, newspaper articles, personal e-mails, posted fliers with rewards, and reverse 911 calls by the police, blanketed the area. Our fears heightened and worry was in the forefront of everyone's mind. Friends held a candlelight vigil and loved ones were interviewed. Her church stayed open for prayers for her safe return.

Her car was gone, but her purse and phone were left behind in her new apartment. Abduction? We all thought the extreme worst --- that she was kidnapped and forced to drive somewhere. Only a terrible person would do such a thing to an innocent woman who had such a seemingly wonderful life.

Last night the horrible news trickled into a few local homes. She had been found dead, in a neighboring town, of an apparent suicide.

Horror of horrors!

How could this happen? Who among us really knows what lurks in the heart of an individual? What pain resides, gnaws, and grows, taking away all reason? How could no one see it in her eyes? How awful that this was her end --- perhaps not as bad as our imagined criminal act by evil-doers --- but maybe avoidable, if she had only reached out to someone, anyone. There has to be another answer.