I think some of our kids have lost hope . . .

Last week-end my daughter received word that one of her friends was shot & killed in a random act of violence.  Two days ago, she found out that another friend (another young man) committed suicide.

I can count on one hand the number of friends & acquaintances that have died since I've become an adult.  She has experienced at least twice that since she was in high school. Not all of them have died at the hands of strangers, some of them have died due to their own choices, and I believe that this is the second friend that she knows who has committed suicide.

I was talking to a group of people recently and the topic of the economy came up. My two older kids have not wanted to pursue college degrees at this time. Although I've had conversations with them about this choice and the ramification it can mean for them down the road, there is the other part that is also reluctant to have them straddled with enormous student debt that they may or may not be able to repay, especially if this economy fails to improve.

When young men and women with very little job experience are having to compete with older workers with more experience for the few minimum wage jobs, something is seriously wrong.

She is coming home for  few days next week. I will be glad to have her home and I will hug her for a very long time. Undoubtedly being home will bring back a rush of memories for the friends she has lost. We were excited to have her home & the plans had been made a couple of weeks before the death of these two friends occurred.

Now it will be a healing visit. I hope that it will be enough.