I got a call from my daughter late last night, as she often does when she gets off work. This time, however, it was because she was on the road traveling home for a few weeks, having missed out on a family vacation only a few weeks earlier due to her in ability to get off work.
She works in the film industry in L.A. and is used to working long focused hours with few breaks. So, it's no surprise to me that she's using a similar methodology for this 2000 mile journey home.
Making her way through Arizona and more than half of Colorado, she decided to stop for gas. In doing so, she took a few minutes to call and check in with me. Her brother was still awake, so we put her on speaker phone. We both laughed as she reconstructed her latest travel tales, in great detail. Needing to get back on the road and charge her phone, we ended our call. At the beginning of her trip I had told her that I would not say goodbye, only talk to you soon...so that's just what we said.
Heading to bed a little later, I went about all my usual routines. I checked my text messages and saw that I had missed one from a friend and three from my daughter. Being a "Mom", I prayed that she did not send me these messages while driving, fearing she could crash and get hurt, or worse.
Her texts to me were: 11:42pm "Almost to Nebraska"; 11:50pm :) (smiley face); 11:52pm :Love yeeew". As much as I wanted to send her my love, I made a choice NOT to text her back. I didn't want her to look at my text while she drove.
Little did I know, how the next few choices my daughter was about to make, was going to impact my life.
Earlier this year, my daughter had worked on the set of the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. As she drove through the Colorado cities leading towards Denver, she remembered that the movie premier was only minutes away. She debated about stopping and treating herself to the premier, before she called it a night and looked for a hotel.
No matter which reason that my daughter's mental wheel of fortune slowed down for and landed on, her winnings were to live! Her decision early this morning to "keep on trucking", right through Aurora, saved her life. Her decision to pass up the exit, saved me and her whole family from the loss and mourning that exists for so many families in Aurora, today.
I feel extremely blessed and thank every guide who may have helped my daughter in her decision making process, for being there for her and for us.
Although my daughter's life was spared, I find myself deeply affected. My heart and prayers go out to all the families of those we've lost today, to anyone who is injured and affected by the masacre that happened early this morning at the movie premier, in Aurora Colorado. My hand and heart is here for you, fully extended. If you need someone to talk to, please feel free to contact me.
CJ Harlan © copyright 2012
To learn more about how you can help someone who is grieving a loss,
Please read the blog entry on Loss Guidance Tips, posted on 7-22-12.
She works in the film industry in L.A. and is used to working long focused hours with few breaks. So, it's no surprise to me that she's using a similar methodology for this 2000 mile journey home.
Making her way through Arizona and more than half of Colorado, she decided to stop for gas. In doing so, she took a few minutes to call and check in with me. Her brother was still awake, so we put her on speaker phone. We both laughed as she reconstructed her latest travel tales, in great detail. Needing to get back on the road and charge her phone, we ended our call. At the beginning of her trip I had told her that I would not say goodbye, only talk to you soon...so that's just what we said.
Heading to bed a little later, I went about all my usual routines. I checked my text messages and saw that I had missed one from a friend and three from my daughter. Being a "Mom", I prayed that she did not send me these messages while driving, fearing she could crash and get hurt, or worse.
Her texts to me were: 11:42pm "Almost to Nebraska"; 11:50pm :) (smiley face); 11:52pm :Love yeeew". As much as I wanted to send her my love, I made a choice NOT to text her back. I didn't want her to look at my text while she drove.
Little did I know, how the next few choices my daughter was about to make, was going to impact my life.
Earlier this year, my daughter had worked on the set of the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. As she drove through the Colorado cities leading towards Denver, she remembered that the movie premier was only minutes away. She debated about stopping and treating herself to the premier, before she called it a night and looked for a hotel.
No matter which reason that my daughter's mental wheel of fortune slowed down for and landed on, her winnings were to live! Her decision early this morning to "keep on trucking", right through Aurora, saved her life. Her decision to pass up the exit, saved me and her whole family from the loss and mourning that exists for so many families in Aurora, today.
I feel extremely blessed and thank every guide who may have helped my daughter in her decision making process, for being there for her and for us.
Although my daughter's life was spared, I find myself deeply affected. My heart and prayers go out to all the families of those we've lost today, to anyone who is injured and affected by the masacre that happened early this morning at the movie premier, in Aurora Colorado. My hand and heart is here for you, fully extended. If you need someone to talk to, please feel free to contact me.
CJ Harlan © copyright 2012
To learn more about how you can help someone who is grieving a loss,
Please read the blog entry on Loss Guidance Tips, posted on 7-22-12.
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