A celebration too soon
In ethereal form, I was taken to a river. My guide told me that I could not influence what would happen. No one would be able to see or hear me. On the other side of the river, a group was having a picnic. Somehow, a 5-year old and two toddlers got away from the group and crossed the bridge.
They made their way down toward the bank of the river, which stood about six inches above the water. As the 5-year old traveled further behind bushes and trees, the toddlers slipped into the river. Fortunately, someone had noticed that the children were missing, and the adults were quick to get to the river.
Forming a human chain, the adults rescued the two toddlers. Shivering and cold, the children were handed to the nearest adult. In spite of my guide’s assertions, I was able to hold one of the children close to convey warmth and comfort while knowing that the lesson was not over.
The adults celebrated their success. They had saved two lives. It was worth celebrating with high fives and exclamations about how close the children had come to disaster. The children were alive and safe – that was the most important thing.
Only one man was disturbed. He ran through the crowd looking for his boy. No one would listen. No one thought to look for another child who was in trouble. After all, what were the odds that another child would drown that day?
They made their way down toward the bank of the river, which stood about six inches above the water. As the 5-year old traveled further behind bushes and trees, the toddlers slipped into the river. Fortunately, someone had noticed that the children were missing, and the adults were quick to get to the river.
Forming a human chain, the adults rescued the two toddlers. Shivering and cold, the children were handed to the nearest adult. In spite of my guide’s assertions, I was able to hold one of the children close to convey warmth and comfort while knowing that the lesson was not over.
The adults celebrated their success. They had saved two lives. It was worth celebrating with high fives and exclamations about how close the children had come to disaster. The children were alive and safe – that was the most important thing.
Only one man was disturbed. He ran through the crowd looking for his boy. No one would listen. No one thought to look for another child who was in trouble. After all, what were the odds that another child would drown that day?