A DAY OF SEARCHING AND A LESSON LEARNED

You'll notice that this is not my usual light hearted, information packed blog.  I spent Sunday joining in the search in the Bloomington area for the missing student Lauren Spierer.  Two of my very dear friends joined me and we teamed up with 4 others.  One girl with us came as far away as Florida.  Several of these people had searched on previous days.   We only had 1 1/2 miles of road to search, which doesn't seem like much, but it encompassed so much more than just the road.  We walked rugged terrain looking in tall grass, wooded areas, abandoned buildings, culverts.  No area was considered to be insignificant.  It's mind boggling when you think about the vast areas that have already been searched or need to be searched.  It was overwhelming and amazing to see the organization and dedication of those involved in keeping this effort alive.  I can't begin to imagine how hard this is for her parents. It's a sobering experience.  It made me stop and think how truly blessed I have been and that my troubles are insignifcant compared to what this family has had to endure.

DON'T TAKE PERSONAL SAFETY LIGHTLY!!!!!  We all probably think we are invincible.  I know I do.  Take the time to read articles on personal safety.  There are a gazillion on the Internet!  Two of the best are:  PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR INSTINCTS!  AND SCREAM!  You always have these two items with you.  Use them!!!!!