The bike

You may or may not remember this birthday present, but after a fantastic day of his very last high school meet and breaking personal records, finishing up his eagle project and having to look forward to doing NOTHING for the next few months, a day full of HIGHs in emotion...we learned that Rossi's bike was stolen.

Some people have told me "well, whoever took it must have needed it more than him."  Well, yah, I guess that's a nice thing to think about to keep you from being bitter and angry - but in all honesty, whoever stole it from him, didn't need it more than him.  What they NEED is some ethics.  What they NEED is to EARN their own bike - and I don't count learning how to pick open a lock as the right kind of education.  What they NEED is parents who taught them right and wrong.  What they need is consequences for their action.  Maybe their intents were good "I'm stealing this bike because my dad is a drunk and just left our family, my mom has cancer and lost her job and my siblings need to eat, I need a bike so I can get to work and back to get money so I can feed them..." How very proud this mother must be? She taught her children to value the old addage "what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine" wait...not sure any responsible parent would teach their child that.  What?  I'm going too hard on the mother of the bike thief?  After all the bike thief is also a child of God.  Well, so was Lucifer, and his sorry butt got kicked out.  Sometimes you need some tuff luv. 

That bike was my son's transportation to seminary, school, work...and more than anything, when he needed a break and to get out to relax in a quiet location to write in his journal, he would take that bike out for a ride...to feel the wind in his hair, to go where cars can't fit, and to find his center again.

To the bike thief....may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your arm pits.