Some of you have been around long enough to remember the troubles this family has experienced this past year.
I haven’t talked about it because Sassy asked me not to. I have respected her wishes.
Until now.
Frankly, as I look at it, I have asked her NUMEROUS times over the years not to do stuff, and she has either through her words or actions, DECLINED.
In this case I think that the greater good lies in knowing that knowledge – and the experiences of others – might help others that find themselves in the midst of a traumatic and uncontrollable situation.
It was just a few days before graduation when I received a letter in the mail from the District Attorney’s office. My heart stopped IMMEDIATELY, and I was searching my brain for the memory of a forgotten speeding ticket, a bounced check, or some other mess I might have inadvertently gotten myself into.
I cautiously opened the letter to discover that the young man who, through his actions, taught Sassy about fear and mistrust- had in fact pled guilty and was about to be sentenced by the judge.
The court wanted to let us know that Sassy had a short window of time to prepare a victim’s statement- one that the judge would take into consideration before sentencing Georgie.
We all knew that she might be asked to write one, and she’s been thinking about writing it since last November. It’s been one of those tasks that have must been too painful for her – perhaps seeing in writing what this whole experience has done to her youth was too much for her. I can’t be sure.
I wondered what she would write. Could she know that she had changed from an outgoing, funny, well-liked, friendly young girl to a soul who chose to stay home most of her junior and senior year- instead of spending it with friends at sleep-over’s and parties? Was she aware that she learned to travel with an old field hockey stick in her car and a set of eyes in the back of her head? Did she realize that she had pushed away most of her friends- ones that really didn’t understand what she was going through, and ones that had no idea that she felt her life was in danger? Did she know that what should have been the best years of high school for her – were the scariest.
Can you put that into words as an 18-year old girl? I’m here to tell you that she did.
Will it be over when he gets sentenced?
No.
Will she be suddenly cured, and will we see that young, trusting, joyful girl that we once knew?
I don’t think so.
However, we do have hope- we must have hope.
We hope that she continues to evolve into a strong woman who trusts her gut instincts every single time.
We hope that she meets new friends who understand her struggle, and who will hold her close as she begins to heal.
We hope that she looks forward more, and behind less.
We hope that she uses this experience to help her become the woman she is meant to be.
And we hope, beyond all else, that she finds happiness. Real, true, incredible happiness – for this is the one thing that might dissolve those tiny seeds of fear that quietly lurk in the corners of her heart.
Let us pray.
