One of today’s top headlines is the abduction and reappearance of Jaycee Lee Dugard. Jaycee–who was 11 when she was abducted from a South Lake Tahoe street in 1991–was kept behind a series of fences, sheds and tents, even giving birth to her abductor’s children in a suburban backyard compound less than 200 miles from her childhood home. She was abducted as she walking to the bus stop on her way to school.
This story hit home for me because Jaycee and I are the same age. She is 29 years old now (as am I) and she was 11 years old in 1991 (so was I in 1991). I remember walking to school with my Dad and being driven to school by my Mom. My Dad would make me walk on the inside of the street–not the side of the street where the cars were passing by–so that I was walking safely away from the curbside. He would walk me either to the inside of the building or if were lining up outside in the playground, he would wait until the teacher came to get the class. My mother would drive me to school and would wait until I was inside the school or park the car & walk me physically inside the school building.
As a child I did not appreciate all the sacrifices my parents made for me to ensure my safety and protection. When I was younger, I wanted to ride the bus or walk to school by myself like many of the other kids.
I thought it was “unfair” that I had to be chaperoned or driven to school.
Jaycee was walking to the bus stop when she was abducted, her stepfather was watching her walk to the bus stop, when the abductor pulled up and grabbed her. Her stepfather ran and tried to chase the abductor, but he sped away in his car.
As children, you want to do what everyone else is doing–not being necessarily grateful to your parents for their hardwork, dedication, and love.
Now as I have children of my own, I realize on a daily basis, how wonderful my parents were and still are. Parenthood does not come with an instruction guide and its one of the most difficult jobs in the world.
