Think back to all of the lessons you learned as a growing child. There are those lessons that we all invariably have to learn the hard way. Stoves are unforgiving when they are glowing. Hard, outdoor surfaces often make good abrasives. Sliding on a wood floor is an art, not a science. There’s a really good reason for the “no jumping in the tub” rule. And then there’s my personal favorite, falling out of a tree can really hurt. What, you didn’t learn those lessons too?

I was driving home from the doctor’s office today (yes, another trip to the allergist for a shot and the ensuing death watch), and I witnessed a boy meet with sudden agony. He was running down the side walk when he suddenly lost control of his ball. It made one unfortunate bounce, which brought it right to the mouth of the storm drain. Two points – nothing but oblivion. It vanished from view. In the split second that had to observe this tragedy, I saw the carefree boy transform into a victim of circumstance. I thought back to my many experiences with storm drains. I hope that he is a quicker study than I was.