Being a child of the ocean, whenever I hear of sailors in danger at sea, I connect with them and their families immediately, innately knowing the panic they must feel against the raw, brutal power of the ocean – your best friend and your worst enemy. Now, think of a 16-year old girl child alone in the same situation. When I first read the story of Abby Sunderland today, my first reaction was anger – at her parents and everyone else who let this child try to break some kind of record by sailing around the world ALONE. How stupid can they be. How much they must desire some sort of fame for themselves and for this child that they would allow her to undertake such a journey? The last signal from her indicated that she was more than 2,000 miles from both Africa and Australia. ALONE. My heart goes out to this child as ships and planes race to her last known location, placing even more people in unnecessary danger. Her parents describe her as tough and capable, but they fail to talk about the fact that she is still a child and should never have been placed in this situation. Her teenage brother appears to have become the family spokesman. Another case of incredible irresponsibility on the part of the parents who have organized this fiasco. What is it about these parents who push their children onto the stage dressed as tiny movie stars or who push them to fly around the world or climb Mount Everest? Are they living their own unsatisfied lives vicariously through their children? Do they hope, like the parents of the “flying saucer boy”, that they somehow will become rich by exploiting their children? As those who know and understand the ocean, the best we can do now is offer a prayer for Abby and a hope that she survives. Jail is the best destination for her parents.Thursday, June 10, 2010
ALONE!
Being a child of the ocean, whenever I hear of sailors in danger at sea, I connect with them and their families immediately, innately knowing the panic they must feel against the raw, brutal power of the ocean – your best friend and your worst enemy. Now, think of a 16-year old girl child alone in the same situation. When I first read the story of Abby Sunderland today, my first reaction was anger – at her parents and everyone else who let this child try to break some kind of record by sailing around the world ALONE. How stupid can they be. How much they must desire some sort of fame for themselves and for this child that they would allow her to undertake such a journey? The last signal from her indicated that she was more than 2,000 miles from both Africa and Australia. ALONE. My heart goes out to this child as ships and planes race to her last known location, placing even more people in unnecessary danger. Her parents describe her as tough and capable, but they fail to talk about the fact that she is still a child and should never have been placed in this situation. Her teenage brother appears to have become the family spokesman. Another case of incredible irresponsibility on the part of the parents who have organized this fiasco. What is it about these parents who push their children onto the stage dressed as tiny movie stars or who push them to fly around the world or climb Mount Everest? Are they living their own unsatisfied lives vicariously through their children? Do they hope, like the parents of the “flying saucer boy”, that they somehow will become rich by exploiting their children? As those who know and understand the ocean, the best we can do now is offer a prayer for Abby and a hope that she survives. Jail is the best destination for her parents.
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2 comments:
I had not heard about this, but it sounds perfectly awful. I agree totally about the parents. I strongly disapproved of letting a boy of 14 climb Mt. Everest.
Thanks TCW ... amazing how perfectly incompetent some parents are ... there are those who try to raise their children as best they can and those who can't take the spotlight off themselves regardless of what they have to put their children through to get some sort of 15 minutes.
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