New post below

Sorry it was later that it got posted. I've had it done since last week, and meant to post it this morning. Then I got a phone call from my Mom that my cousin on my Dad's side was struck by a drunk driver and killed last night. Now, my Dad's side of the family and I aren't close. We used to be, when I was younger, and then when my Grandma died it just all kind of fell apart. I had a lot of anger about it for a long time (I may have even talked about it before) because I feel like they should have made more of an effort (I was only in 5th grade when my Grandma died, so it wasn't like I knew enough to stay in touch.) Now I guess I'm just too bitter to re-build a relationship with them, but it does make me sad, especially when something like this happens. I'm not really sad for me, if that makes any sense. I knew Elissa's older sisters pretty well because they were closer in age to me, and I remember when Elissa was born, but I wasn't particularly close to her, and I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I saw her. But it just threw me for a loop. For one - she was only 19. For two, she had just had a baby girl, and now her daughter is mother less. I kept thinking about my kids - if it had been them that died, or me who died having to leave them. I kept thinking about her Mother, and sisters, and how very sad this whole situation is, and for what? I know people tend to say that suicide is the most selfish thing you can do, but I don't think that's true. Yes, suicide is pretty selfish. Yes, it hurts those you leave behind. But you don't take anyone with you. All Elissa was doing was riding her bike - and now she's gone, and why? Because some guy who was TWICE her age wanted to go out and have fun and couldn't be bothered to arrange another way of getting home. Couldn't be bothered to call a cab, call a friend, sleep it off in his car, or call one of the services who will come to where you are and take you home in your OWN car. Yes some of those means of getting home cost money, but alcohol isn't free, so you better budget it in or stay at home. A mother lost her daughter, a daughter lost her mother, sisters lost a sister, and many people lost a friend. Was it worth it? Of course it wasn't. It never is. But people keep doing it, and why? I know I've heard all the reasons - they don't think they're that drunk, they don't think it could happen to them, but why would you even want to take that chance? You want to gamble with your own life - whatever, but you shouldn't gamble with someone elses. So here's another story about someone who didn't think it could happen to them - and it did. I know the world is saturated with them, but apparently we still haven't learned our lesson. Please, PLEASE. If you think you MIGHT be a little buzzed, just call someone to get you. I know, I know it's a pain in the ass to find a ride, to find a way to get your car the next day, but what my family is now going through, making funeral arrangements and grieving is an even bigger pain in the ass, not to mention the jail time that hopefully the man who hit her will get.