Will your Child Survive Graduation Day?

Will your Child Survive Graduation Day?

Is there any family in the area or country that has not been affected by addictions or recreational drug use? I know my own has and because of this I seek education at The Substance Abuse Task Force meetings. There you will find people from every sector of the community, medical, educational, DCF, NOPE (The Narcotics Overdose Prevention & Education) and people of the Faith community, but the ones that have gripped my heart are the parents who have lost children.

One man introduces himself as the father of a dead child; in this case it was not an addiction problem but kids celebrating their graduation last year. How heartbreaking, and yet how many of us can say, "There but by the grace of God go I?" 

When I met the grieving father after the meeting the only comfort I could give was to say I would pray for him, give him a hug and these words:

 "I know when your son woke up the morning before he didn't think or plan, 'Tonight I will break my father's heart.'"

Although that was what happened, it was a horrible accident, of kids using one drug, one time too many. Young people are not thinking when they use recreational drugs; they are just doing it to fit in with their friends. In some small way, please get the word out, "One time may be one time too many."

This father still has unanswered questions. He doesn’t know if his son was a willing participant or not at this time.

Parents please talk to your children especially with Graduation Day approaching; I liken this conversation to being a watchman on the wall as portrayed here:

“Upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen all the day, and all the night, they shall never hold their peace. You that are mindful of the Lord, hold not your peace.” (Isaiah 62:6 Douay-Rheims Bible)

Many of us try to prepare ourselves for the possibility of loss in our families, with recreational pills so prevalent in the younger generation. The statistics show that the national average is 50 people die a day in our country; we need to acknowledge we have a problem here, people, and educate our families. Common things in your home such as Pam, Nyquil and aerosol whipping cream can also be a source of misuse. I’ve learned about Pharma or Skittles parties where kids take medicines from their parent’s and grandparent’s medicine cabinets and throw them all in a bowl. The bowl is then passed around and the kids take some, not knowing what exactly they are taking. The potential for danger in the wrong drugs interacting is incredible! 

Parents, friends and youth workers in the community be aware and take the time to talk to the youth that you love..

 Their heart cried out to the Lord,
“O wall of the daughter of Zion,
Let tears run down like a river day and night;
Give yourself no relief;
Give your eyes no rest.

 “Arise, cry out in the night,
At the beginning of the watches;
Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him
For the life of your young children…(NKJV) Lamentations 2:18-19

Join me in praying that the upcoming Graduation Days will be full of family joy instead of the trauma of substance abuse.

Sometimes seeing a real face to go along with the story helps; this was someone's son, Morgan Andrew Denney: http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/southeast-volusia/2011/06/02/new-smyrna-teen-taken-off-ventilator-dies-police-look-into-drug-connection.html 

Donna Collins Tinsley, wife, mother and grandmother, lives in Port Orange, Florida and has been included in several magazines and book compilations. Find her at Facebook, http://thornrose7.blogspot.com/ or join Somebody’s Mother Online Prayer Support Group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/119408188089314?id=244911885538943

or email Thornrose7@aol.com