T.H.I.N.K.
Sometimes it takes a
tragedy to make up stop
and remember something
we said or didn’t say
Sometimes it takes a tragedy to
make up stop and remember
something we said or didn’t say.
Regret can be something that is
heartbreaking and very hard to
overcome. As I sat in a prayer/
memorial service in September
I listened as so many teenage
voices broke down at the loss
of a friend. Here is a story of a
life cut short and people
wishing that they had a second
chance to THINK.
Rachel was a dancer. She was
the girl in school with the
infectious smile. She was active
in the drama club of her all girl’s
school and the boys school
down the street. Rachel and I
talked almost every day. In my
few short weeks being at
school we had become pretty
close. She loved football and so
did I, she suffered from severe
migraines and so do I. I had
made a deal with her. I said
sometimes you have to come to
school and find a way to push
through the pain. I said I would
help find ways to deal with the
pain if she would do her best to
get rest and try to come to
school. She agreed. We talked
about dieting and sleep. Rachel
was special as she also had
Type one Diabetes.
Regret can be something
that is heartbreaking and
very hard to overcome
We had been in school four
weeks when I had the privilege
of having Lauren M Galley
come speak to my girls about
being a Girl Above Society.
Rachel had been so excited to
meet Lauren and even tweeted
after hearing her speak “Okay,
Lauren was the fiercest human
being to walk the earth. Bye
h8rz.” Rachel bought a ticket
from me at lunch for the football
game and said she would be by
to see us at the game. It was
Friday September 13 and it was
the last time I would ever speak
to Rachel. Rachel never made
it to the game. She was in a car
accident at 7:40pm that night
and took her last breath in that
car.
Saturday as I sat at the prayer/
memorial service and it was
time for people to share I
couldn’t help but break down
not only for the girls who spoke,
but also the boys. One young
man talked about how he got
mad at Rachel for a reason he
can’t remember now and he
texted her that he didn’t want to
talk to her ever again. He said
she texted him over and over
again saying she was sorry, but
he never texted her back. Now
he says she will never know
how sorry I am. Then girl after
girl got up. Saying how they felt
so guilty because Rachel had
texted them that she needed a
ride to the game, but they just
ignored her or told her no or
she couldn’t be ready in time.
Some said they spoke or texted
not so nice things to her and
now they could never take them
back. Then a young man stood
up and said listen to me people.
This is my senior year and I do
not want to go through this
again. We all need to THINK.
THINK before you text, think
before you drive, THINK before
you speak, because I am not
living through this again
because you didn’t want to
THINK.
It was then that I looked around
and then more than ever I
realized how much we need to
spread THINK. How much
THINK can save a person grief
and anguish in a tragedy that is
not their fault, but they feel like
it is. THINK it is so simple.
Before you speak, text or type
THINK is it True/Helpful/
Inspiring/Necessary/Kind? If not
then don’t say it, don’t type it.
Even when you don’t agree
with someone you can find
something inspiring to say to
them.