Don't Do Anything Stupid

"Don't do anything stupid." This was, and continues to be, one of the mantras that I incessantly told my children after I communicated my love and how proud I was of each of them.

Life is so fragile that it can be taken from us so quickly, and lives destroyed in an instant of inadvertence — not paying attention, a glance at your cell phone, using poor judgment before getting behind the wheel after a drink, or kids being kids and doing something without thinking it through. The list goes on and on.

Today, I was painfully reminded of this lesson when I called to check on a dear friend, and he couldn’t get the words out. I feared he was ill and in bed, but unfortunately, it was as bad as it could be -- his 15-year-old grandson was killed last night in a single-car rollover where he was riding, unrestrained, with two of his friends. These were/are all very good kids! They were just being kids and not being careful young adults. The driver was of legal age, and there were no nefarious facts or circumstances that are known at this time. These were just kids being kids, driving too aggressively for the circumstances, and in one instant, they hit a curb, the truck rolled, and this young boy’s life was taken far too soon. He had a bright future ahead. He had a beautiful family that is devastated by his loss. Likewise, the driver will forever have to live with the consequences of his actions, not to mention the potential criminal consequences should the State choose to charge him with a crime.

There are no words to capture the depth of this indescribable loss that these poor parents have suffered.

I often tell our clients that we meet in the worst of circumstances, and this is a perfect example of that. We can't turn back the clock and fix this. We can't bring him back and undo these kinds of tragedies. We are here to help. We can empathize and do what we can to bring comfort to the extent that is possible. My heart breaks for this friend and all of our clients and their families who have suffered these losses.

Please take the time to have these talks with your children. Explain to them how fragile life is and how important it is NOT to have these lapses in judgment. Pay attention. Be safe. Drive defensively, and PLEASE, DON’T DO ANYTHING STUPID. Life as we know it can be destroyed in an instant.

Sent with love!

Andy