I remember a time in my youth when I drove drunk – really drunk, and made it home safe and alive. Another time I remember watching a friend climb a downspout of a three-story building, hang on the gutter with one hand, and then climb down safely.
I remember a friend who had a Christmas tree in her dorm room that was so dry (it had never been watered) that I’m still amazed lasted the season without starting a fire.
Any of those incidents could have easily caused injury and death, but they didn’t and we escaped. Through shear dumb luck we escaped the embarrassment and guilt of having caused injury to ourselves or others.
The person who set off the tear gas in Edmonds has not escaped. His actions caused injury to dozens and ultimately death to a police officer. And while his actions were much more aggressive and had the intent of harming others, it was just as dangerous as my drunken ride across Brighton.
I wonder how I would feel if I found out that that dumb thing I did 20 years ago caused someone’s death. How would I deal with the guilt? What steps could I take to make amends, if possible? Luckily, and it is just luck, it is just an exercise for me.
What would you do?
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