The predators are out there. They are in our collective consciousness: Epstein, Gacy, Corll, African Warlords, to name a few.
They seek prey of all sorts. They look for the weak, lost, immature, needy, or inexperienced. Some are used then discarded. Some are coopted, abused, then discarded. I know because I was one of the latter. There is something we, as a society, can do about this. The prey does not always go silently. They may send out subtle signals or may scream for help. It is up to us to hear these pleas and act. We must be aware and on point. We must be ready to recognize the struggle and need for help. All need not be lost. It is possible we can save some from the predators. I was lost and will never recover, but there was a time when I could have been saved. I can see what occurred and share it if you will allow me.
Listen to your children. Listen to your young person. Listen to anyone who comes to you seeking an ear. Too often we are in a hurry , busy with our lives, and will tend to hear but not listen, when someone seeks our attention. We will discount fears and misgivings presented to us as leftover nightmares, flights of imagination, or simply as stories designed to gain attention. Knowing a child still believes in magic, that a young person lacks the experience to gain perspective, or someone may not have the maturity to properly gauge a situation, we do not feel the urgency to stop to listen, much less to act. We need to listen. We need to act. Acting validates the seeker of our help and alleviates their and our fears and/or doubts.
Someone who seeks your advice and counsel is already burdened with doubt and lacking confidence in themselves. The seeker comes to you fearful of being disbelieved, of being labelled as ignorant or childish, and of being thought of as less than. Feeling this way, the seeker will most likely approach you only once, and being rebuffed, will withdraw. They may never approach you again. You could lose them forever.
Tell yourself to be prepared to put everything aside in order to stop and truly listen to your loved one when they come to you. Your loved one trusts you to hear them, to advise them, and to know what to do. If you feel you lack the knowledge to deal with a situation, be aware of the people and places you can turn to for assistance. Look online for aid groups concerned with the type of situation you are confronted with. Remember there is always one source readily available to us, to anyone: the police or sheriff’s department.
Every one of us has a loved one. Every one of us has a friend. Every one of us is someone’s person to turn to. We must constantly be aware and conscious that spending a few minutes to stop to listen may save a life. It may save many lives.
