***Echoes Cloudy Eyed Tears

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~Hollowness Echoes Cloudy Eyed Tears~ 2

Memory3

You always hear it but you never believe it'll happen to you directly or indirectly. But, it is something awful that sure doesn't discriminate. I'm speaking of drunk driving. It is an ever-growing epidemic that doesn't seem to have an end in sight. An impact that leaves an impression upon those that can hardly bare the pain.4

Holidays seem to bring the statistics of drunk driving and death higher each year. This isn't how to live...although, I believe it is an overused excuse for for a plethora of reasons. How long is this going to go on in our society? Will it ever get better? To answer my own questions, I think this will not and doesn't hold a neither a grudge, nor a preference towards anybody.5

The little girl in me remembers how my mom would continuously have a drink in her hand (scotch & 7up). I never knew until I got much older that my mom was actually an alcoholic. She doesn't drink anymore, she hasn't in a very long time. I'm very proud of her. We are very close, that's never changed. I guess you could say that she grew up.6

Not everybody can overcome such an awful addiction, some don't live long enough to speak about it or get the help that they need. Luckily, my mom fought for her sobriety and was able to share her sad but true stories of alcohol addiction. I'm so glad that she realized how important her life is and setting an example for her children. I definitely learned so much through watching everything that was going on around me. You see...I've never been one to say much, I'm more of an observant listener.7

Life's lessons are something we all endure with each breath we take. They are there for a reason and should absolutely be taken seriously. Brushing it off or having an attitude of "Oh that will never happen to me", has their perspective blind shut off to the reality of life. Until, they too understand what it means to experience "Hollow Echoes Of Cloudy Eyed Tears". These tears are often mournful as they attend funerals, memorials and wakes, they are rarely comforting.8

Jani J. Fraim9

Copyright 200310

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Author notes

I'll be posting more memories...as you know, my passion lies between writing, so you'll see another soon.

Comments

• By me, right now

  Adding your comment:
• Nelak
  July 17, 2004
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  BRAVO, JANI!! Well said, sad though isn't it.

  Jani,
  
  A really sad topic that seriously needs to be dealt with. I've done research and research on drinking and driving and come to the same conclusions... it is not a right to drink but a privilege and people abuse it way too often. It seems as if the statistics are getting higer every year with the fatal accidents involving this. Yes, you can tell people not to drink and drive, but when that time comes, they have a cloudy judgement and say that they can handle it. I have never lost anyone to drinking and driving but you never know what the future holds. It must have been hard to see your mother like that, but at least she had enough courage to quite. I have never drank alcohol before and I am very proud of it. When I was in High School, a friend of mine who was off to College (same age as me) and came back to visit Kristina and me... at lunch time she said... 'you know, it'll be my birthday soon so and ~~(a friend's name she said) and I are going to go to Barrie (a place that is an hour and a half away from here) to a pub and drink. Did you want to come?' She knows that I don't drink. Then I said 'Tisha (her name), you know I don't drink.' 'Oh, are you sure?' 'Yes, I don't drink.' That was the basic conversation there. No one has ever asked me to drink before, that was a first and I was a bit shocked that she would ask me. I saw on her MSN nick name that she said that she will be drinking all weekend since her parents aren't home (something like that)... oh and when she was at College, she said that she's going to drink on the weekend... Why brag about it? What is the fun with drinking? You know if you have too much to drink you'll feel it in the morning. I guess this hot topic really gets to me because I stand strong on the issue. I will never drink and I'm soooooo proud to say that. I am a very quiet person too... I don't go much socially. When at high school, friends of mine would say that there's a party going on and I'm going to get sooo wasted. (When I hear that, I just roll my eyes) You know, no one has ever asked me to go to a party before. I would say no anyways because they would be drinking. I've never seen anyone drunk before, which is good. My parents don't want me to see anyone drunk either. Thank you for this... it really made me think -as you can tell. Sorry this is so long, I guess I had a lot to say.
  
  What comes from the heart, goes to the heart.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Kalen
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  angelica
  November 28, 2003
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  This definately need to be told Jani,my son when he was living with us was inclined to drink too much and drive,it got to the stage i was going to let the police know as i did not want it on my conscions that he killed or mamed someone,we shipped him out of Sydney to his sisters place way out in the country,now he brings it home and drinks it there,since then he had an accident where he saw what the results of drinking and driving can do as the other car,the 3 people in it were drunk plus had no seat belts on,they were thrown out and suffered serious injuries,so we hope he's learnt from that,he had his sister in the car coming home from work,a piece of pipe came through his windscreen,just missing his sister,luckily Sharon had her eyes closed as it would have been horrific to see that pipe come towards you,she was getting glass out of her mouth,nose,and face for days.love to you my friend~Joan
• Morning Rain
  November 13, 2003
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  When my mama was a little girl she was walking on the road with a friend. They were holding hands. A drunk driver hit mama's friend, throwing her body into the air. He father had to identify her by a small scar on her ankle. Mama always wondered how he missed her. That had to be so traumatic for her. Thanks for sharing this story jani. You were lucky your mama stopped drinking. HUGS~
• qnhoneybee
  November 13, 2003
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  This was definitely a message that needs to be put out there more and more. Just last week we had a drunk driver race down our street. He hit the telephone pole, sped off and then slammed into the front of my neaighbors car damaging it beyond repair. My point to this is Thank god it was jus a car that got damaged and he never actually made it out onto the open roads. He was caught and the people that let him leave the trailer park down the street from me are being hels responsible too for letting him leave.
  
  I wish they could get a handle on this as well!